Reflective Evaluation

I took on this project with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement to begin with but my complete inexperience with blogging has set me back in my written work and documentation thus leaving me in a bit of a rush to finish before deadline, Fortunately I kept a log on a Word document so I had information to copy and paste after we eventually had a work shop on how to blog. I am glad now that I know how to blog and therefore will be more prepared and able to get a real head start in my documentation. Blogging is essential to the creative workplace and I will definitely be using it in the future.

When presented with the brief I was determined to produced high quality props to a professional standard fit to be displayed in the Guildhall Museum and was especially pleased when I was presented with the role of making props for the Blacksmith's workshop, specifically an axe, flail and kite shield. Now that i think of it, it was a good coincidence that I was given the two props that required a wooden handle so I could ensure that the way the wood was painted and aged was similar.

On my last project I had left the physical making til rather late so for this commission I was determined to get making as soon as all the roles were given out and everyone knew what they were doing. And for once I was really on top of my photographic documentation which helped a lot with writing up my days until I was eventually shown how to blog. I was also rather concerned about the level of communication there was between the whole group as for the first few weeks or so only one other person in the blacksmith group as well as myself actually turned up but there was no way of getting everyone in. I feel like I was the only member of the blacksmith group who was treating this project as an actual official job. I never saw the rest of the group apart from meetings but to this day I have no idea what anyone else has really done so I couldn't provide any kind of solid list of everyone's roles other than my own. This was most probably down to a leader not being chosen therefore frequent updates were not organised, either that or they weren't in university much either.

I was very fortunate throughout this project to have been able to spend almost nothing on materials by sourcing scraps and being giving a few materials by tutors, I only had to buy a short length of chain for the medieval flail and the rubber ball on the end of the chain. I found it slightly annoying that I was denied trying out new and more complicated ways of making but instead encouraged to make the prop out of easier materials that I felt wasn't incredibly professional but it did provide a good challenge and learning curve to make using such an easy and boring material such as card look like the metal head of an axe. These are certain challenges that I'm sure would crop up in a real work environment so being able to adapt when time is of the essence and desired materials are unavailable would be a valuable skill to have.

With no real way of making people come in to work it was really frustrating at times knowing that we had a limited amount of time and that the people at the museum were relying on us and expecting good quality props and costume but I had to focus on the props that I had been assigned and worry about possibly taking on other people jobs after I had completed my own, which was confirmed when a member of our group didn't show up for the majority of the project but insisted they would have the work done and dropped out in the last week thus suddenly leaving the rest of the group with more work that won't be able to get finished before the deadline.  The work was split more than fairly among the work force so with the complete lack of attendance from some individuals it has set everyone back a great deal which isn't professional or fair.

After this project I feel like I have developed a lot and improved in my time management although it would have been a lot better if I had known how to blog from the start instead of a few weeks into the project so I could have started my blog earlier and been completely up to date as I hadn't documented the dates in which I'd completely parts of my work in my notes, but now I know how to basically blog it will be a very useful documentation technique which I will be sure to use. I would definitely take a project like this again but perhaps without the individuals who lacked in attendance and in one case dropped out at the last moment with little work to show. A team with a more professional attitude towards a commissioned project for display to the general public would be preferred. Otherwise I feel like I could really do this as a profession as aside from some people it was really enjoyable and I feel like i have learnt a very invaluable skill with the blogging. In future if a project like this arose again I would certainly try to keep in contact with all people involved to see where everyone is with their work and if they're up to date.