Who am I now...

I really want to focus on looking forward rather than back after such a long journey which has got me to where I am today.  I have come to realise that my skills, design style, thoughts on design will constantly change depending where I work and what sort of briefs I do.  I found this really exciting and I am looking forward to what is next.  I have discovered the importance of attention to detail - I want to be a quality designer, I have learnt about organisation and time balancing - it is easy to take too long on the wrong thing - I want to be an efficient designer.  I have learnt about the importance of the subject and a range of knowledge which can be put into practice for a number of subjects - I want to be an open minded designer. Most of all I have come to understand the importance of enjoying what you do - I want to love my job and be a designer who is passionate.

Portfolio - need to add copy

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Business cards

Elim international missions

I have been in touch with Elim international missions and they are keen to have me help out with little bits and pieces within their OUTREACH' magazine and to go visit them over in Malvern.

I am looking forward to how it will feel working for a charity - understanding that this isn't a full time thing at all but I really want to get a taste for being an in house designer. (what the limitation etc will be.)

ELEVEN

I have emailed Eleven to see if I can pop over and visit the studio although I am currently waiting for a response.  

Boards for Footprints

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Ultimate Holding Company

I decided to call the Ultimate Holding Company to ask about visiting their studio and hopefully to open doors of working there in the future. I happened to speak to Jimmy Edmondeson who graduated from LCA 2 years ago so it was nice to speak to someone who had been in the same position.  I followed the phone call with an email after he said it would be great if I wanted to visit and for me to email with and questions I had.  

Footprints Collaboration

Laura and I had our first meeting to discuss the plans and timetable for the footprints community centre.  

We decided to organise the brief into phases so that we can charge for each one and so they are kept manageable.

Phase 1: Initial Concept (signage map) / sketches

-Footprints budget

-How long can we afford to spend on it

-What type of signs can we afford

-Explore outcomes

-Investigate the brand

Phase 2: Visual ideas (X2)

Phase 3: Amendments / Final Versions


Timeline:

Phase 1: 20/02/12

Phase 2: 05/03/12

Phase 3: 02/04/12

Hi ......,

Following our meeting this week I have determined a plan for the signage. This includes me working with another designer who I know will benefit the project (which won’t alter the cost), I hope this is ok. I also have a few more questions before I continue with the designs.

Do you have a specific budget for signage/website/leaflet?
If so what? This will help us determine what outcomes we can afford to be looking at.

Could you please send over the list of all activities/rooms as we discussed along with any required information to be included on the signage? Then I can get to work and hopefully meet the deadlines that are proposed.

Do you have any specific guidelines for us to follow such as colours to use/ avoid. I know that you are using purple for the staff uniforms as with the current signs. Would you like this to remain?

This is the proposed timeline for this project which is broken into 3 phases.

Phase 1: Initial Concept (signage map) / sketches - 20/02/12

Phase 2: Visual ideas (X2) - 05/03/12

Phase 3: Amendments / Final Versions - 02/04/12

Please let me know if this sounds workable with your expectations, and I’m aware that during this period I can start work on the website.

I hope that’s all ok, and look forward to hearing back from you.

Thanks
Laura




Main Entrance
-Church Hall
-church services

-mums and tots

-child contact centre
-lunch clubs
-training centre
-Food Co-op
-

0-2 Entrance

2-3 Entrance

3-4 Entrance

Random back entrance

Beadale Hall
-Afterschool club 5+
-Training centre

Map at Beadale not at Main centre.

How do people sign up to the childcare? Main entrance or specific entrance?

Footprints on the floor to direct.
Paint =£25/can. X4 colours = £100...

Final images sent

These are the final files I sent to giles in our final meeting plus the invoice which went with them.

As well as handing over the files I signed a contract for each individual poster (except variations of colour ways)  which Giles went through in detail so that I understood what I was signing.

I found this meeting really helpful in understanding the handing over of artwork and what copyright meant.

Although I no longer own the images I will continue to earn from them as Giles reproduces and sells them to wholesalers etc I will receive 10% of his incomings from them.  

Collaboration

Initially this project was going to be used for my design practice but I have decided to instead show it as a platform of enterprise as my friend and I consider collaborating together on a number of projects after the course has finished.
Although, in an ideal world, we would love to initiate a studio straight away it is important to still focus on getting a placement and hopefully a job within another studio for experience and financial support before embarking on such an adventure.  In the mean time we have already a number of contacts ( due to Laura's current experience and my other job) which will provide us with small brief which we can do along side other jobs.  This is start the basis of what could be our studio and will also be a gradual way of telling us both if we work well together.

The brief we received was from a community centre in Bradford who are wanting a re-design of their navigational signage, website and information leaflets surrounding what the community centre provides.  This can be quite a substantial brief but will require a great deal of organisation in making sure deadlines are met.

Leftloft

 I really love the way that all of leftloft's work is so varied.  They have designed this colourful image based recipe book yet, also have designed for magazines based on type and just black and white. This variation of subject and concept shows that they are driven by the subject and that they are flexible when working with a brief.
I want to be like this!

Leftloft are based in Milan(italy) and are actually looking for a junior designer.  A little problem being the language as they expect you to speak italian and english.
I can definitely be inspired by this to realise that there is an importance of flexibility in your work.

LEFTLOFT

I adore this variation of typography and pattern within an environment.
With two main colours and a detailed focus on print the restaurant is made to be contemporary and classic.
Another variation of flexibility within Leftlofts work.

Leftloft

This publication was created by Leftloft.
I have highlighted these, even though the subject is not exactly of interest to me, because I really like the way just black and white  text have been used (simple, clean) with a full colour photo.
I think the use of different typefaces for each section plus a different shape to go with it adds individualistic approach.

Meeting no. 2

I went to meet with Giles and Andy yesterday and it was all in all very positive.  They have set me some strict deadlines and Giles showed me what he is looking for.

Within my design practice I have already written a brief which consists of designing a range of posters to highlight the positive words from the bible in a way which makes sense to everyone.  Rather than bombarding people with religious terminology I want to try to explain that christian values are as relevant and hopeful as ever.  This brief works perfectly with Giles' expectations for the posters and so I will hopefully, if he likes them, be able to sell the 5 designs to him once they are finished in December.  

I learnt from this meeting that often enough clients have already a detailed description of what they are looking for from a designer which leaves not much room for creativity in the design. What I wanted to try to do for Giles was also impart some of my knowledge of being a christian understanding that there is not much design I would put on my wall specifically about the christian faith and I felt I could do this because I am the target market.  Giles seemed really open to my suggestions and I took notes on some of his as well though I explained that due to the short deadline and my 2 week holiday I would only be able to complete 5 designs with a focus on what I felt worked best which he was really happy with.

I left the meeting feeling really happy and very professional and full of ideas for the work knowing they could be bought! 

Business Opportunity

I have been in touch with a graphic designer who owns a studio called Leagus.  He has been working with someone called Giles Beckley who is wanting to start up his own Christian art printing business.  Cutting a long story short I was contacted to show him some ideas for art work which he could buy the copyrights to and reproduce and sell nationally.  Charisma Art will be mainly web based but Giles spoke about having gallery stands at certain events.

I have been asked to meet them both at Huddersfield media centre next tuesday which will be good on a professional level as this is how they will see me.  The main aim of the meeting is to discover what it is Giles is looking for, the number of designs he is wanting and the deadlines I will therefore need to meet.

Follow up email. Just incase! 

Would love to here back from tigerprint.  They emailed me back straight away so really hoping I hear from them again.  It is worth trying! 

Christian Aid

Just had an email from a contact I have in the Christian aid office regarding possibly designing an 8 page Booklet for them. They are sending me details in the post but it sounds like it would be paid work - of course I am going to charge a small price as I am just a beginner but this is really positive stuff.
I sent over my portfolio earlier today.
Very good progress!

Fingers Crossed.

Received this earlier today which I would say is positive as they actually emailed back. If I don't hear from them next week I might follow it up with a simple email.

But all in all it is progress!

Where was I? Where am I now?

At the start of this year I was attempting to feel comfortable within a Graphic design environment.  I had started to develop new skills, a new understand of the term process and the importance of a concept. I felt like I couldn't really be placed in terms of a specific area of design or type of studio I would consider working in.  This was simply because I had not yet explored it in enough detail to be aware of what and where I wanted to be. Similarly the work I had produced was always driven by a brief given by tutors and so the outcomes were limited to how I felt I could answer the brief.
Since then I feel I have taken a huge step in realising the sort of aims I want as a graphic designer a more stream lined view of the work I want to produce and a better understanding of graphic design in general.
In being able to chose briefs to suit my skills and passions and even to be able to write my own has really showed me that where I am able to put part of myself in a brief, whether it is through passion for the cause or excitement for the crafting, the resolution and even the process is more thorough and original than if it was something separate to where my passions lay.  I guess really this goes without saying.  Passion and excitement for the subject is vital in creating something visually exciting.  It maybe that this year, or even simply towards the end of this year, I have become very comfortable in how I design but really I need to still keep my mind open to opportunities which may arise and where I never felt I was able to complete a brief.

When I think now about publication layout I would probably shy away from the thought yet within charity based work this is an important part of the job and I will need to be in a place where I am comfortable completing all sorts of briefs in the most appropriate media.

I feel i have been tested also this year in software skill with learning after effects and dreamweaver in detail and finalizing projects using them. Both of which will come in handy throughout the next few years of my life.  Initially in both cases I was uncomfortable and not at ease with the software, I struggled to understand why certain things did what they did but that is what technology is about. I have noticed the importance of trial and error within this and simply testing things out is the best way to learn what they do.  In both projects I feel I eventually finished with more confidence and awareness of the possibilities the software opens up within my practice. As well as this this I still understand the great importance of pen to paper and thumb-nailing, story-boarding, sketching out ideas before taking them straight to screen.  This was probably more vital within the after effects brief.

Surrounding and supporting my practice was critical studies which I feel played a large role in my progression this year.  In considering the importance of Graphic design I was able to pin point just how important it is for me to produce work for a cause.  Whether it be community, poverty, social relationships etc, I am exceedingly keen to make my work count when it comes down to it rather than simply creating something for designs sake.  I don't think I would be well suited to work for a design magazine or any other design focussed position.  This is not because I think it is a rubbish job, more because I am more engaged and passionate when it comes down to subjects that are outside of the design sector.

second portfolio including screen work- to send to charities and other similar organisations..

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