Studio Research

STUDIO RESEARCH

As its getting closer to the summer i think its important to try and make contacts with people and get some studio visits booked. I decided to do some research and found five studios i am really interested in going to..

FDP GROUP

http://www.fdpgroup.co.uk

ANALOGUE 

http://digitalbyanalogue.co.uk/contact-us/

DESIGNBYDUO

http://designedbyduo.co.uk

RABBIT HOLE

http://rabbithole.uk.com

WE ARE UNIT

http://www.weareunit.com/index.php?p=Branding

I Have been in contact with Rabbit Hole & Analouge i am currently in the process of making a document of work to send over to Analouge as they may have some work in a months time this is my favourite studio out of the five. I will still carry on researching and looking at studios so i can keep my options open.

Introduction session

PPP SESSION 

Thinking ahead can be worth it and some initial considerations can be useful. Even at this early stage

What are your options? 

• Freelance

• Working for a studio

• Going into partnership

• Setting up a company/Studio

Everyone gets worried asking people what do you think?

• What do we need to look at to plan a potential future?

• This part of the course PPP asking questions and getting answers

• Where will i work from ?

• Where do my clients come from?

• How much do i charge?

• Will i get paid?

• What will i need?

• Do i pay tax,VAT ect?

These may seem a little daunting at this time of your career, BUT some are already actually trading as creative professionals.

Those who are already freelancing.

Setting up a small enterprise in the lesson

-11 groups of 5 designers. Give your group a business name.

-Apportion specific tasks to each member.

-Have regular meetings to achieve an agreed plan of action/set yourself deadlines.

-There will be tasks that you will need to complete over a period of time which will culminate in a 'pitch' or a presentation by your 'business' to the year at the end of the PPP period.

-We will be going through all relevant areas well in advance.

-You will not be alone in this

-On your PPP blogs you will all need to blog your own individual tasks toward the final presentation.

-When we eventually arrive at a presentation your all agreed on blog it.

-If you are in a group you will need to elect a group manager.

-You need to be as serious as you can about the information that you gather and how it is presented. The tone of voice ect. is important. Try treat this as professionally as you can.

PRESENTATIONS AFTER APRIL 25TH.

NOTE

Let your client know you have terms and create an invoice and don't begin until they agree.

Replies from Studio

REPLIES FROM STUDIO

Unfortunately i was unable to visit either of the studios as they didn't get back to me in time of the dates i was available.

This is an email i received from Robert Page at TubbyPhunk studios

 I will defiantly re-email Robert Page from TubbyPhunk when I'm next in Middlesbrough so i can visit they're design studio.

The same with TubbyPhunk I'm really pleased they got back in touch and i will make a point of visiting them when i am home.

Planning a visit

PLANNING A VISIT

I really wanted to get in touch with some studios to plan a visit John said i was best to write them a personal letter 
Ive typed up a letter first to make sure its accurate and then i will send it to the two companies.

TUBBYPHUNK

http://www.tubbyphunk.com/contact-us/

There is an option on the website to enter your details and a small message to request a visit.

John has told me that it is important to make sure i send them a letter but before i sent this company a letter i decided to ring them up and just ask who is your creative director ? I was told it was Robert page so i typed up this letter just to get an idea if this would be appropriate then i will confirm with John before sending it off.

THE BIG BITE CREATIVE

http://bigbitecreative.com/about/

I did the same for this company but i didn't need to call them up because it tells me who the creative director is on the website. I typed up this letter just to get an idea if this would be appropriate then i will confirm with John before sending it off.

After speaking to John he told me ..

• Make sure i include there address on the letter inside

• Everything left aligned 

• Just put there first name make it more personal !

• Don't spell there name wrong !

• Best Regards Look forward to seeing you is a nice way to finish of the letter more personal

 I posted both letters first class and i am now awaiting a reply..

Task 2

METHODS OF CONTACTING CREATIVE STUDIOS OR AGENCIES

TASK -Investigate list of methods you can employ to contact other creatives studios or agencies - List these on your blog.


EMAIL - To start of my investigation i first thought emailing is a huge way in which you can contact other creatives wether it be a design studio an individual person. Emailing in an appropriate way stating what its about why your contacting them. Its really important to spell EVERYONES name right and and be polite and professional.

WRITING THEM A LETTER - After speaking to John its very important that you we consider all methods of contacting people. When i have recently contacted a design studio i sent them a letter. John said its important because they might not receive the email or not check it but a letter is more formal and there more likely to read it. 

RESEARCHING INTO DESIGN STUDIOS - Researching into design studios is important you can find all kinds of other resources from a design studio and meet other people doing your research is beneficial as you don't want to contact the wrong person.

VISIT DESIGN STUDIOS - We are all told to visit design studios and make an effort to get to know people, make your self known! Visiting design studios can open so many doors for you and you can meet a lot of creative individuals. On a visit if you make a good impression there likely to want you to come back. Making contacts is such a vital part of the design industry. 

WORK PLACEMENTS - When gaining work placements its a really good foot in the door for young creatives even for example if the work placement you were at isn't where you want to be you can meet people through placements that can introduce you to other young creatives and other studios. If your work placement is really successful chances are they'll ask you to come back and work for them.

FREE LANCE - Doing freelance work for people can boost your reputation as a designer as your work progresses and people see the kinds of design you do more people will want to use you and employ you.

BEHANCE - Behance is a platform to showcase and discover photography, graphic design, illustration, and fashion. It is a product of New York-based company Behance, Inc., which has also created other services meant to organise creative people and support creative careers. Behance is an amazing way to publicise your work and get your self recognised by other designers. If a designer is interested in your work you can get contacted through behance as well as contact other people.

LINKEDIN - LinkedIn is a social networking website for people in professional occupations. Founded in December 2002 and launched on May 5, 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. As of June 2013, LinkedIn reports more than 225 million acquired users in more than 200 countries and territories.The same as Behance you can contact and be contacted by professionals.

YOUR PEERS- Being in a degree or the work place with like minded creative individuals is such an enriching experience because we learn from one and other and we help and recommend certain orangisations or design studios or people to one and other. This is a great way of gaining contacts.

JOIN MORE PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS - Joining as many professional studios as possible is important because its networking it opens so many doors and gets your work out there and you as a designer.
Joining organisations allows people to contact you and is way for you to interact with studios and other designers.

FOLLOW BLOGS - Following blogs can help you find other creatives blogs and design studios you haven't heard of before or aren't all that well known.

D&AD - Design and Art Direction is a British educational charity which exists to promote excellence in design and advertising. Their logo includes the words "Benchmarking and rewarding great ideas that are well executed and appropriate". D&AD is such a huge organisation and having your work on D&AD if you are successful is a huge recognisable achievement. Collaborating with people will help you to meet other creatives.

COMPETITIONS - Live briefs & competitions are really important to get involved in. If successful it makes you known to other creatives as your work is showcased or exposed. Like most competition websites such as secret 7 you can contact other creatives.

EXHIBITIONS - Exhibitions are a good way of meeting people and being introduced to other creative studios people or agencies.

TRAVEL - Travelling is one of the best things you can do as creative designer there is nothing better than having experience in other countries or places to put on your cv it makes you stand out from other creatives. Travelling is also good if you want to visit a certain studio you can go in person rather than looking at there website and speak to people face to face.

TELEPHONE/SKYPE - Telephoning studios and agencies or skipping is another way of contacting but only once your on a relationship basis as you would first send a letter or an email. Its important to always stay professional.

Getting your business ducks in a row

GETTING YOUR BUISNESS DUCKS IN A ROW

This afternoon i went to a short talk presented by John Watters about the the ins and outs of getting paid by a client.

What will happen - 

Client > Brief  > Ideas > Back to client > Changes ect & so forth.

First step - 

You get an enquiry from a potential client! Try to go see them and discuss the brief and the requirements and deadlines. THEN Carefully ESTIMATE the time you think that it will take and write that down.! Add an extra day to cover a finite number of client changes. 

Eg. 3 sets.Note that any additional changes over and above these will! be charged at £X per hour. NOTE: A Quotation is legally binding, so ALWAYS give an ESTIMATE as this is NOT! Estimate for everything even travel.

You should - 

Write (type) an ESTIMATE that includes all of the requirements of the brief and itemise each! section. Make sure you remember an amount for! materials etc.

Send the client the estimate together with the terms that you trade under...ie.When you will deliver. What you will deliver. The ESTIMATE of costs as you see them. Your payment terms. Ask that they email you with agreement and an ORDER for the work with a reference number.

You shouldnt - 

DONT START ANY WORK TILL YOU HAVE RECEIVED THAT ORDER

Once you have the order, they have agreed to proceed and understand the cost implication and YOUR terms of payment. 

Now enjoy the project. BUT, if the client makes more than the agreed changes in your ESTIMATE, contact them in email and let them know that any further changes will incur! additional costs? They usually become very happy with the work to date.

You should send the information to the accounts department of the company , you could also send them to the client also just F.Y.I  , also itemising the invoice can make it clearer for the client.

This talk was really interesting as i am a second year student it is beneficial i know this information now but i wasn't sure about the ins & outs and how important it is to be careful when dealing with paying clients you don't want to get ripped of & taken advantage of.

Task 1

PPP2 TASK 1 

For our set task by John we had to answer the following questions -

• Reflecting on your Summer what is your most memorable event and why? 

Over the summer i did some work for a clothing company called HOJO Apparel a clothing brand created in middlesbrough. I created some new logos for there company some t-shirt designs and some badges with unfortunately i lost the files on my old macbook. The problem with this work i did was that the manager from hojo kept giving me different tasks and changing his mind after every alteration i made. I created different files for the brand but in the end the brand brought out new stock not using any of my work. I was happy to design some free work for the brand but after how many times i had to alternate the designs i was annoyed it had took up a lot of my time.

• Have you made any contacts over the Summer that you feel could be helpful over the coming year or so and what outcomes did you feel you achieved?! 

The only contact i made was the HOJO Brand , i regret not getting my self out there and finding companies to do some free work for our just researching in depth what studios are about.

• How did you meet/contact these contacts (methods used or how it happened)? 

The manger of the HOJO brand saw some design i had created for a vans packaging i had posted on my Instagram and he seen it and contacted me on Facebook.

• If you didn’t make any contacts, why? too busy working? holiday? commitments?! 

I didn't make any further contacts because i was working throughout the summer in middlesbrough and i went on holiday. I realise now how important it is to gain contacts and get yourself to studios for visits.

• What methods of contacting creatives can you think of and what would you ask?

I have found some design studios in middlesbrough that i would like to contact :

I decided to act upon this and speak to John before contacting these studios

PLANNING A VISIT -

This task was really useful as it has pushed me to try and arrange some visits in middlesbrough when i go home i spoke to John one on one and ask him a few questions..

How should i go about contacting them? John advised me to write a letter rather than email them he also suggested it would be nice if it was handwritten maybe we something else on the letter.

What should i say ? I should ask to do a visit instead of asking to go for a placement as you might not like the design studio or the people there.

• I was advised that i shouldn't wait around jump straight into.

• Make connections with people in the design studio

• I should let them know that I'm local and when i am available

PPP2 Session 1

PPP2 SESSION 1

We had a pop session with John this morning we discussed what actually is PPP and how vital it is to our design practice. We discussed what we should be doing to contact studios and how we just need to get involved !

What were your highlights this past year? What made it memorable ? What do you feel that you gained from that experience?

POINTS THAT WERE MADE:

The smallest experience are important in many ways... WHY? Because we build up a database that will be more than useful in years to come.

Because we are visually bias animals , we create an onboard database of information and experiences that gives us a methodology of researching and evaluation information/

There are so many ways to gather data over our lives other than google, Yahoo and wikipedia.

This is where blogs are a new and a  'revisitable' resource we can look back on and see our personal journey of likes comment and changes in what we can see and document.

Experiences in the transition between first and second year and diverse and are mesa used on what you have learned in year one.

Work you have seen , studios you appreciate and have either contacted or are now considering contacting all are part of your PPP journey.

PLANNING WITH A PURPOSE

VISITS

• Do visits don't just be desperate for a placement. 

• Visit the place you might not like it when you get there?

PPP Fundamentals:

• The exploration of assumptions concerning personal learning, investigative strategies and the management of self learning through tasks and research

• Using effective strategies to facilitate personal and professional development though critical enquiry and problem solving.

• The demonstration of evaluation of  professional development,through presentation and documentary evidence.

• The evaluation of personal developmental needs based on and through the critical reflection of personal growth through reflection of personal work.

VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION

After the break in Johns session we began to watch some short videos from some designers and there company's  it does inspire you to create amazing things and i found the Stefan Sagmeister particularly interesting so i made some points.

Stefan Sagmeister -

Stefan Sagmeister is an Austrian graphic designer living and working in New York City. His talk at the AGI Open 2013 conference in London was entitled "Sagmeister on Happiness", in light of his upcoming documentary The Happy Film.In this interview he discusses the film and its subject of happiness, as well as the broader subject of his work in design. He explains his decision to work as a designer in New York versus Vienna, saying that in New York people are more about "actually doing things" rather than talking about doing things

http://www.designindaba.com/video/stefan-sagmeister-bring-personal-and-human-design

I watched this video a few times and got some good points from what Stefan Sagmeister was talking about:

• Do something to bring changes into our life

• Big changes need thought

• Certain design you can only pursue if you have the proper time frame

• Worrying solves nothing

• Evolution didn't build us that way that we would reach permanent happiness. If we were built that way they're would be no compass.

I found watching videos from huge design companies and there projects it does inspire you. 

Study Task 1 - Why am i here , What do i want to learn?

STUDY TASK 1

Identify and explain 5 reasons why you chose to study on this programme.

• The reputation

• The location

• The course

• The possibilities available to me

• The resources.

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to learn during your time on the programme.

• Print
• Different types of media
• In design
• Better understanding of photoshop
• Become a professional graphic designer

Identify and explain 5 skills that you think are your strengths.

• Listening

• Blogging

• Concept thinking

• Time management

• Group work.

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to improve.

• researching
• photography
• illustrator skills
• trying different techniques
• being more visually aware

Identify and explain 5 ways that you will evaluate your progress.

• Blogger

• Keeping a note book with me always to document

• Taking pictures and reviewing

• Set my self targets

• Review targets and goals and create new ones 

Identify 5 questions that you want to find the answer to.

• Where are the best studios available to me in leeds.

• Where will i find the best printers

• How can i evaluate my work at a high standard

• How do i contact a studio?

• How do i charge someone

Identify and explain 5 things that inspire you.

• Websites

• Advertising

• Behance

• Leeds college of art

• Other creatives

Identify 10 examples of design that illustrate your fields of creative interest.

Briefing 15.10.13 reviewing our personal first year targets

MODULE BRIEFING
Deadling 15.05.14

This module focus's on personality & professional practice and intwines with other modules 

4 main components

• Research & evaluation 25%

• Critical awareness & Analysis 25%

• Problem analysis  & project management 25%

• Professionalism & communication 25%

- Contextual & ethical dimensions

- More in depth taking about copyright ect

- Start blogging on PPP

When we first started the course in first year we made a list of things that we would like to achieve for the year wether it was a programme or a process we wanted to try or improve.

My list - 

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to learn during your time on the programme?

• print
• different types of real media
• in design
• better understanding of photoshop
• become a professional graphic designer

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to improve?

• researching
• photography
• illustrator skills
• trying different techniques
• being more visually aware

Reviewing my targets - 

Print - 

Screen printing :

Last year i did a screen print induction at our uni and i didn't feel like i was the best at it , i didn't actually screen print for any briefs which i regret because its important to try different processes . This year we have been given a printing module and i have been trying different processes  - these will help develop my skills i am glad we have been given this module as it has pushed me to try different techniques so i will definitely keep this printing target for this year and try use screen printing for executing briefs.

Digital printing : Although i didn't screen print i did do a lot of digital printing and i feel as though i have really come along way since starting as i didn't have any idea how to set up for print or know paper sizes and what stock can go through which printers. I feel lucky to have print resources available to us at uni.

Different types of real media - 

I wanted to make a point of collecting lots of real media and different types of paper stock , Eg. flyers printed for events ECT. It does show you such a diversity in different print styles and production. As freshers last year we received so many flyers and event information so its a good resource to look back at and keep. 

Indesign-

I had used indesign for a brief in college to make a publication and i didn't really know the programme that well but tried as best as i could . In uni we had indesign inductions and they really helped to develop my skills and understandings like placing and resizing images and facing pages ect. you need to know the ins and outs of the basics to be able to work the programme to the best of your ability. I feel as though I'm a lot more experienced with the programme and will use it again.

Better understanding of photoshop-

I am better at photoshop than i was at the beginning of last year but  i still feel i could develop more. After the photoshop inductions i felt as though i was more aware of the shortcuts and basic photoshop skills but i don't feel as though i have progressed as i tend to use illustrator for most of my design work. I will make an effort to use photoshop this year as it is a important programme used by designers and i will need to use it in the industry.

Become a professional graphic designer-

This target was more of long term target , i feel as though after the skills i have developed last year i am closer to becoming a professional graphic designer but i still have a lot of things to learn and to processes i want to try. 

I think that we are becoming more aware as individuals what it will take to become the best designers we can be and thats why PPP and Design practice are such vital and useful modules.

Researching-

My researching skills have developed a lot over the last year and the summer because there is so many resources available for us and working in a class room of 50 like minded people all sharing ideas and websites and books is so invaluable. I think i have learnt how to research into more depth and once i have found points of interest through researching i then research the interest this makes my body of work so much bigger and useful. 
I would say a new target for year would be to - find more resources and don't use the same websites to often.

Photography-

When i set this photography target last year i think i meant i wanted to take pictures of things for briefs but its become known to me that its not been that relevant for some briefs maybe but i think where it has come in useful the most would be photographing your work for online. eg. Behance , we are told so much how important it is to start networking and i believe no one will look twice at your design work if its photographed terribly it doesn't show any standard. 

Illustrator skills-

My illustrator skills have really developed over the past year because i am using the programme every single day i am picking up easy and more efficient ways to design. Illustrator is my favourite programme but i think i need to not use it as much as i do and try using photoshop this will help me improve my photoshop skills as much as my illustrator ones last year.

Trying different techniques-

I have started using different techniques this year such as foiling , embossing  & screen printing. There are so many different processes and i am in the best position at LCA to try these things out i will carry on with this target throughout the year.

Being more visually aware-

I would say when i first started the course i was visually aware but now i feel as though i look at everything and anayalising it thinking how i could change it what colours or textures might make something look better or even the type. I think its important to be visually aware i think it keeps the creativity flowing.

Reviewed -  I am pleased that almost every target i have achieved or i am working towards i have set new targets for next year and i plan to keep track of the small things i wanted to change after reviewing this list its been beneficial to see how i have changed and grown since first year.

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Welcome back - Second year 10 SUCCESSES

10 SUCCESSES 

GROUP LIST 

1.we successfully learnt how to screen print

2. Using certain programme tools and short cuts

3. Management of time / punctuality 

4. Management of money

5. Be more confident

6.creative & theoretical writing

7. Summation feedback

8. Knowledge of contemporary resources   

9. Collaborative work

10.execution of work / printing 

11. Module hand in structure 

12. Workshops and skill development  

CLASS LIST 

1.presentation skills 

2. Feedback 

3.workshops

4.independant 

5. Research / development

6. Understand time management

7. Working in/with groups

8. Confidence/motivations 

9. Theory / context 

10. Style

Things I want to be successful for this year - 

• I want to find new resources - this is so i am able to vary my research and content that affects and influences my work , i think this is important so that i don't end up with similar research from previous briefs.

• I want to improve my photoshop skills - i think that the programme is so vital to graphic design process that it will be beneficial to my second year and the rest of my design work.

• Manage my time - not just manage my time e.g.  getting work in on time but planning my time better like with a work schedule i found last year although i tried this i didn't actually realise how long some parts of my brief took than others so i will utilise my time better.

• Learning to present better - i don't feel as though i lack confidence but when i present i do get nervous and tend to talk faster but practising public speaking with presenting will help this - Also making small notes to read from.

• Learning more programme shortcuts - i know a lot of shortcuts for illustrator which is really helpful i learnt them in first year , so i think i should get to know photoshop shortcuts and other programmes just to help me progress and know the programmes better.

• Making sure i attend all workshops and blog them for reference , i did this year and it was beneficial to most briefs.

• Knowledge of contemporary resources - I really need to improve my writing skills i feel as though my COP dragged my mark down last year and i need to get more used to creative writing in preparation for third year.

• My execution of work - I really need to vary my outcomes this year and try more print processes and different stock methods so all my outcomes are digital and have a similar style. I really want to try different processes for experience and also to have a variety of work on my behance.

• I want to try and be more independent this year i feel as though i properly asked questions more than i needed to last year and sometimes if you sit back you generally find the answer or i can check our estudio.

• I want to work in groups more working in groups is so important to get us prepared for the industry its a good idea to start doing this now so we are experts when we leave !

• I want to try digital photo manipulation more this year i have seen a lot of amazing photo manipulation graphic design work that has inspired me.

• I want to make my idea and thought processes a lot more in depth this year - this is because last year i picked my first idea every time and this always causes problems down the design process.

• I really need to improve using the pen tool on illustrator i am better than i was but i would love to be an expert!