1. CIDA Mock Project
DA203

2. What is expected
The mock project takes elements from real CiDA projects
Your final work will be marked as if it was a real piece of coursework. You will get a GCSE grade.
This is the only practice we will do before the real thing – this is your opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them.
CIDA Coursework Recap
75% of the overall grade
Done in class as a long controlled assessment
Based around graphics – illustrator and Photoshop
All work displayed in an e-portfolio
Grades are from C to A*. If you don’t achieve a C you will get a U.

3. How it will work
In every project you will be given a set of tasks. Each task will have very specific criteria which you must adhere to in order to pass.
Your teacher can only give you guidance. Your coursework cannot be marked as you are doing it – it’s up to you and your test buddy to make sure you are creating what the examiner wants.
Your teacher will mark your work at 3 key points
1. Proposal – When you have described the work that you intend to carry out
2. Finished products – when you have finished your designs before your e-portfolio
3. At the end - When you have completed the whole project.

4. Coursework
Proposal – Once you have read the brief you need to describe what you are going to design. A test buddy and your teacher will both give you feedback before you start designing anything. Listen to this feedback.
Products – you will have a list of things that you need to design. Some will be on Illustrator, and others on Photoshop. When you design a product you will complete a design log. This will allow you to gain feedback as you design your work. It is a crucial element, worth the same marks as your actual designs.
Elements table – you must keep a record of every element of design. This may be a texture you make, an image you get from the internet, a logo etc.
E-portfolio - This is the website that you make in order to display your work. You must link all the work that you do to this website in order for it to be marked.
Review - this is an evaluation of your work. You must reflect on your work, seek feedback on your final products and discuss what you would do differently in the future.

5. Test buddy
You have to be very independent when completing your coursework. It is up to you to ensure you read the brief carefully and produce exactly what the examiner is expecting.
Your teacher can give you guidance but so can your test buddy
You will have a test buddy - this is someone in the class who will give you feedback on your work and will help you improve it.
You will be a test buddy – you will have to give someone else feedback on their work. In order to do this well you need to be clued up on the brief
In summary – READ THE BREIF CAREFULLY!!

6. The Mock Coursework The brief:
You have been tasked with creating a new healthy take away for Young professionals.
You will be creating
A logo for the business
A design for a shop front
Packaging for a take away meal
While you complete this task you will be given a project booklet. This will allow you to ensure you are producing work which meets this brief, and don’t forget any elements.
At the end of every stage you must get your work signed off by yourself, your test buddy and your teacher before you can move onto the next stage

7. Proposal
You need to be able to pitch your ideas to potential investors. To do this, you need to write down your proposed ideas.
Complete the Proposal Sheet with your ideas for your take away, and your designs.
You must explain how your design choices are suitable for a healthy take away/young professionals.
Questions to ask yourself
Is it suited to young professionals? Would they want to go there?
Is it obvious that it is a HEALTHY take away?
Does the logo/shop front convey a healthy message?
Are the logo and shop front consistent in terms of colour/theme?
Are the designs going to be eye catching?

8. Design Log – Final Design
When you have finished your design you must do 2 things
Explain which tools you used and why you used them
Justify your design decisions
Identify the tools you have used
1. Identify some of the design decisions you made
2. Explain how you used them to create your design
2. Justify why that decision was apocopate for the audience
3. Justify why they were better than any other tool
3. Justify why that decision was apocopate for the purpose
For top marks – Explain how you adjusted the tool to make it achieve the effect you were looking for.
For top marks – consider what makes a good design. Does it make it stand out/look more professional etc?
“I used start and rectangle tool to make the outline. I drew these separately and then used the “join” tool to create a compound shape. This meant that I could add a gradient to the whole shape, and create a unique background to make my logo stand out”
“I used a gradient as the background to make to stand out and look more effective. I decided to make it go from light yellow to dark yellow so that it was bold without looking too garish. This added to the professional look I was going for. Alongside this, yellow suits the sunny, Caribbean style.”

9. Logo Tips
There are not very many requirements for this – but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy task.
Consider
How is it going to work in different sizes? This means you cannot have really fine detail if it is going to be shrunk down to put on a napkin or name badge, but it also needs to work when blown up to the size of a billboard.
How are you going to make sure its appropriate for your take away? How will you know its for a healthy take away?

10. Shop Front Tips
You must design the front of your shop like it would appear in a high street.
What must my shop front include?
A Fascia (the bit at the top of the shop with the name/logo etc)
A window and a door
At least 2 other elements to make it look realistic
Aiming for tops marks?
Include other elements that would make your shop look realistic (people, plants, boards, other shops, street, lamppost etc)
Pay attention to detail. Zoom into your images to get the finer details right.
Make it look realistic. Include gradients where appropriate.

11. Perspective Level 4 – 1 Point Perspective Level 5 to 8 –
Level 3 - Front View

12. Packaging Tips The main thing with this task is the photomontage.
This is a collection of photographs that have been edited together.
Although it doesn’t specify how many images you used, you should aim for 3 or more.
The examiner is looking for you to show off your Photoshop skills – so use them! If you don’t edit the images you will not get very many marks.