Coptic stitching

Recently I learnt how to coptic stitch for a brief, so that I could use this technique to bind the book produced.

Heydays

Heydays is a website I was recently shown by a friend of mine. First impressions were great. They are a multi-disciplinary design studio in Oslo, Norway. Their website has a kind of Ikea manual feel about it, with a type writer style typeface being used through-out the site. I really like both the website and the work they produce, they have some really nice, neat and considered work. One piece that really caught my eye was a poster designed for an event called 'Design versus music'. Not only is it a lovely piece of work, but seeing it in situ brings it to life. Check them out at ...

http://www.heydays.info/#

Kate Forrester

Recently while browsing blogs I came across a post about this illustrator called Kate Forrester, her work looked good so I thought I'd check her website out. I was amazed, Kate produces some stunning work for some big names such as Harvey Nichols and John Lewis. All of her work is well considered and beautifully executed. Here are a few examples of Kates' work but check more out yourself at ....

http://piband.com/kateforrester/illustration.html

John Lewis

Recently I found these paper-cut posters for John Lewis designed by the illustrator Kate Forrester. When I first saw these I was amazed, they are so detailed and intricate, I really do like these and cant wait to see them out and about. They are beautifully designed and executed.

Studio Ten and a Half

Recently Vicky and I were looking through the book 'Copywriting' by Mark Shaw, for inspiration on a brief. As well as being a good book we really liked the design of it too. We found that Studio Ten and a Half are responsible for the beautiful design of this book, so we checked them out. Their website is really nice, simple and cleanly designed in black and white. The first page you see it the the big 10 1/2 and it changes between about 5 different fonts each time you load the site. They have some really nice work on their website, the work they produce seems very clean and thoughtfully designed. Here are just a few example of the work but I would defiantly go on and check it out yourselves.

Mike Rigby

Today Mike Rigby came into college to talk to us about his experiences within the industry and his journey from university to where he is now. Mike currently works at True North but is set to leave soon and become the Creative Director of a design agency in Australia.

After doing a 4 year degree course at Preston, Mike got himself a 6 month placement at Imagination in London. After deciding that wasn't for him he had a placement at The Chase in Manchester. When Mike finished his placement he was offered a job at The Chase and then worked there for 4 years before deciding to go traveling. Mike found himself in Australia working at Landor.

When Mike returned back to the UK he worked at Pentagram and Mark Studios before he found himself at True North.

Mike talked about the positives and negatives of Graphic design and showed us some work that he had done as a student but then also some everyday work he had done whilst working at agencies, to show us that its not always all the glam jobs, that we tend to see in the design magazines.

Mike gave us some useful advice but one thing that stuck out in my mind was that he said he approaches briefs with one thing in mind, what is the brief trying to communicate?

He gave an example of work that he did for a flooring company, where he used this method of working, and he came up with this brilliant packaging to get people to buy underlay, which then extended across all the different varieties that the company do.

Mark at Dinosaur

I recently got in contact with Mark the creative director of Dinosaur. I sent him a questionnaire to find out some useful insight into the industry. His answers were short and straight to the point which was helpful as far as answers to questions go, however I didn't really gain any insight into the actual person behind the design. Mark said that you have to have drive first and talent second to make it in the industry, and as he only did a two week placement it is clear to see you don't NEED to do placement after placement, you just have to be good, really good as Mark says, as well as really alive and proactive once you're in somewhere. Thank you Mark for your time, much appreciated.

Dinosaur

Dinosaur are a creative agency based in Manchester. They have an amazing website, it's really interactive and fun to navigate around, they have done some work for big names such as Manchester United, The Co-opertive and Selfridges. They have some really nice work on their website so you should check it out, here are a couple of pieces for the Co-op which I think are fantastic. The way they have used the fruit and vegetables to create something else is great, made me smile.

Portfolio visit with Karen at Liquid Solutions

Yesterday I went to see Karen at Liquid Solutions in Liverpool, to gain some feedback on my portfolio. Karen is the first female graphic designer I have been to see with my portfolio so I didn't know what to expect, however she was lovely. She mainly gave me general advice about portfolios rather than a good grilling on mine.

Karen mentioned she likes to see ideas generation within a portfolio so that she can see that you've thought about the client and their needs. Also she said it's important to think about the balance of work as it will show people where your weaknesses or strengths are, or just your range of capabilities. She said that the presentation of your work is key and it would be nice to actually see the Hovis animation rather than just look at it flat in my portfolio.

She also suggested with some of my work which are layout exercises that I should take them further and make them more so they become more interesting.

Karen strongly recommended having placements so that you can see what you like and where you think you'll fit in, and she told me not to be worried as no-one expects the finished article from a student or even a junior, she said as long as you are willing to put in the effort and time and want to learn, you'll be fine. I took my magazine along with me so that when I'm showing it in my portfolio they can hold it and have some thing real in front of them and she really liked that. Overall she gave me some good advice and tips.

999

999 are a design agency who have studio's in London, Manchester and Glasgow. They have a really nice, fairly simple, easy to navigate website with some lovely work on it. Unfortuantly when 999 came into college I was unable to attend their lecture which I am really upset about. However I am aware off them and I know they do sime really good work so thought I'd let you all know. Here is some work off thier website that I liked but I strongly recommend going on their website yourself as it has lots of amazing work on there.

I've picked out three branding pieces, Onitsuka Tiger, Muse and also Russell collection Tencel campaign which is some branding but also some still shots of an animation for the brand. If you have chance to go onto their website I would watch this animation as it is beautiful, the movement and flow with the music in the background is lovely.

Portfolio visit with 999

Recently I went to see David Sedgwick at 999 to get some advice on my portfolio, David was really nice and welcoming. He gave me some good advice and told me I should always leave something behind so that I get remembered. He told me not to put anything in my portfolio that I'm not confident about, and also that it would be nice to see some development work so he can see where my ideas are coming from. When looking at my portfolio David suggested taking my type face further as he liked it and he thought it would be nice to see something more with it.

David also liked my Hovis end sting but said it might be an idea to make the colour more noticeable, as it took him a couple of seconds to work it out.

I have designed a logo for myself and put it on my contact page and he told me to make a full page of it and to apply it, and also said it would be nice to see more logo designs in my portfolio.

Overall I got some good feedback from David and I hope to see him in the future with my improved portfolio.

Portfolio visit with Bourn Design

I have recently been to visit Mark and Matthew at Bourn design to gain some feedback on my porfolio. Both Mark and Matthew were really welcoming and I felt really at ease showing them my work. They both gave me some really good advice in general and some specific to my portfolio, I gained a lot from going to see them even if some things they didn't agree with each other on, but that was just difference of opinion.

Looking through my portfolio I was told that I should put each project on one page rather than splitting it across two, unless it is a massive project. I also got told to take my typeface further, create a campaign with it to show in it situ.

They also made a comment that when putting my posters in situ I should make the background black and white, so it does not take away from my work. My Hovis end sting they seemed to like the idea behind it but said I need to add one more slide at the end to say whats happening, ie 'Hovis, perfect toast since ????' Mark also prefered too look through my portfolio alone and then for me to go through it with him, whereas Matthew strongly disagreed and said that I should be taking control of the meeting and guiding him through my portfolio, and Matthew also said that I shouldn't have any writting on my portfolio at all, no captions as it can take attention away from the work.

Mark and Matthew also said that its important to think about type and layout and to get the right balance of work in your portfolio. they also suggested putting a website in my portfolio and learning about digital design and designing for screen.

I am going to make some changes suggested and hopefully at the end of the year I will be able to re visit them with a new and improved portfolio with some fresh projects in.

Because studio

Because studio is the freelance practice of Loz Ives. Ed introduced me to his website, and I have to say it's good. There some really nice pieces work on there and Loz has such a clean, detailed approach to his work. Some of my favourite pieces are Glitter Herpes and also his limited edition run of a handmade book folio, which is amazing quatily; 

Swiss Miss

Check out Swiss Miss she blogs some really good design work, and I always find her blog inspirational and quite often she'll have something on there to put a smile on you're face, like these loafers;

Check these out at http://www.dadadastudio.eu/

Mike Carter - Orchard

Mike Carter, from Orchard creative recruitment, kindly came into college the other day to do a half day work shop with us. Orchard creative recruitment are a recruitment company specifically dealing with the creative people and jobs out there. They don't deal with students therefore their was of not dealing with us but still helping us is this workshop that Mike comes in and does. 

I found Mike's work shop really really helpful, it made me look at job interviews differently. Mike made me realise that people don't hire your Cv or portfolio, they hire the person. I  now take a more relaxed attitude towards interviews. And i picked up some really useful tips and advice for my portfolio.

Thanks Mike.

Michael Wolff

Yesterday I took a trip down to Liverpool to go to the Michael Wolff D&AD President Lecture at Liverpool John Moores as part as the Liverpool design symposium. The talk was really interesting and laid back. Instead of it being a lecture, Wolff was sat down at the front with Patrick Burgoyne from CR interviewing him.

Wolff had a lot of interesting things to say, and I learnt a lot from him. He spoke slightly about his creative process and about creativity as a whole.

Wolff spoke of what he thinks to be key qualities to have as a designer,

1) Inquisitiveness,

2) Appreciation,

3) Capacity of the imagination.

His passion for design really showed through and just sitting there listening to him, I felt it rubbing off onto me. Wolff spoke also about branding and city branding and the experience of the brand determines the feeling you get from that brand, not how good the design is. I took a lot from this talk and I'm glad I could make it.

Container plus

Louise from Container plus came into college to talk to us the other day. Container plus are a multi-disciplinary art and design collective, they combine illustration, photography, set design, animation and performance to create a 360 degree experience. Container plus is made up from Louise, Nicola and Patricia.

I found Louise's talk really interesting, and the way that container plus deliver the whole package is really good. Louise talked a bit about how she got to container plus and some jobs she has worked on, but the aim of her talk was collaboration and how it may work, and in some cases may not. Louise having been there herself gave some key points which she found made her collaboration work, which were :-

* About the same age

* Same level of commitment

* Same level of experience

* Lead separate lives outside of work

* No big ego's

And she gave some useful tips before setting up a collaboration, like work together first on a few projects, make sure the other people are reliable, and sorting out money before it becomes an issue. I found the talk really interesting so thank you Louise for taking some time out to speak to us.

Container plus have some really good work so here is a sample but check them out at http://www.containerplus.co.uk/index.html

AIGA - updated

So AIGA originally making posters, not any more! After 3 weeks of not really much me and Vicky decided enough is enough and we took action. A poster wasn't answering the brief in the correct spirit required so we took it back to basics. We went down to a evening called the waiting room, hosted by two MMU third years, armed with questionnaires;

What can a poster be if its not a piece of paper?

We came back with 50 replies and 35 decent ideas, so we gave ourselves three days to do as many as we could. Three days later our outcome was;

70 ideas, 4 lost items, 3 broken, 1 stolen, 4 injuries, 0.5 items set on fire, 3 things learnt, 1 friend made, 20 outcomes, 180 minutes of film, 60 photos and countless possible avenues to explore. Not forgetting 1 amazing e-mail reply from Craig Oldham who went to town when answering our question. Thanks Craig.

Still working on the final footage but will post when done.

Body Shop

Another competition brief was for body shop, which is to,

Create an unconventional brand campaign for The Body Shop to reinstate its position as the original pioneer of ethical beauty.

I've decided to team up with Sarah and work on both this brief and Metro together. I was really interested in this brief as I do like body shop products so I am happy that I am going to give both briefs a go.

Metro

We have just been given some new D&AD 2010 student competition briefs, we had to choose which ones we wanted to do out of about 7 or so, I chose the Metro brief, which is;

Create a transport advertising poster campaign and strapline that cuts through the visual noise of the everyday commute to promote Metro newspapers.

I chose this brief because it sounded interesting and I'm looking forward to see what happens.

Posters

I was looking for inspiration for my current brief when i came across this blog blog http://www.blog.blastyle.com/labels/Polish.html

Straight away the posters on this blog caught my eye, I found this really cool Adidas poster which linked me to another site http://www.noeeko.com/ so I think its origanally off this site, but both blogs have some really good work on them so they are both worth checking out. So heres a few posters that I really liked off both blogs.