Tuesday 9 December 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Workshop at Leeds Uni

At Leeds Uni there was an event held there called The Green Exchange. A couple of us from Leeds College of Art went along for the workshop they were hosting. We were put into groups and asked to come up with sustainable concepts which could be implemented around Leeds to help the less fortunate. 

This was a refreshing break from working at college and was a good change of environment.







Friday 5 December 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Tony Broomhead Possible Placement

When we were in the workshop with Tony today, we had lots of opportunities to speak to him and ask him any questions about what he does. He asked us a lot of questions regarding the course and the kind of work we produce, as he is a tutor at Sheffield University. 

I asked him a lot of questions about OS31 as I wanted to find out whether it would be possible for me to do a placement with him. He said at the moment the three of them work in quite a small studio space and there is stuff absolutely everywhere (prototypes etc). I asked whether they have ever had any students in for a placement. He said that everyone he teaches constantly ask him about whether they can come and work with him, but he said to me that at the end of the day, they don't really need another architect, so perhaps a Graphic Designer would be suitable! 

I then went on to ask him whether there would be any chance for me to visit him in Sheffield or maybe even have a placement with him. He said that if I kept in touch with him then we could see about sorting something out. 

I would absolutely love the chance to work with a group of architects as I think it would be so inspiring and would allow me to engage with a completely different kind of design. I am going to keep in touch with Tony (as I already have been doing) and contact him in the New Year about the possibility of future work with him and his team. 

Saturday 29 November 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Summer Studio Visit

During the Summer holidays, I completed a two month placement with a packaging design company. I worked in house which wasn't new to me, as I did it for two years prior to coming to Leeds College of Art. However, it was a very different structure and I came away with a lot more experience and knowledge which was brilliant.

Alongside completing this placement, I was also constantly contacting other studios nearby to where I live at home. I researched into studios in Liverpool, and unfortunately there are very few which are packaging based, and at this moment in time I am thinking that this is probably the sector I would like to be in. 

I was able to get in touch with one of the girls I worked with from my placement in first year at Rippleffect, and she put me in touch with someone who had recently set up a studio in Liverpool. I contacted them straight away and was asked to go in for a visit and to talk through my portfolio with them.

When I arrived I was made to feel quite uncomfortable. The director had forgotten my name, forgotten that we had organised a meeting, and failed to give me any feedback on my work which I found to be quite disconcerting. I left the studio within minutes of being there as they didn't keep me for very long. They said that they would be in contact within the next week and failed to do so. 

I could have contacted them myself, but didn't really feel the need to, as I didn't really want to have another conversation with them after my first experience. I thought this was worth writing about on here, as I found it quite astonishing that I was treated in that way. It definitely gave me a real insight into what the industry can be like, and the types of people I may come across during my career as a graphic designer. 

It also made me question whether working in a studio is really for me, or whether I would be more suited to working in house somewhere or perhaps even as a freelancer. At this moment in time I am feeling quite confused about it all, and think that this has all stemmed from my Summer experiences. Hopefully I will have more of an idea after the Christmas break, once I have completed my dissertation and can focus my attention even more on networking and meeting even more people. 

Saturday 8 November 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Port Sunlight Visit

Today I visited Port Sunlight and went to the Lever Brothers museum. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to gather research for my dissertation and it was a refreshing change, instead of sitting behind a computer all day writing an essay. I feel as though it is important to take the time out to enjoy myself in order to maintain productivity and a positive attitude. The museum itself as well as Port Sunlight was so lovely. I'm really pleased I made the effort to go.





Friday 7 November 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Robot Food

After contacting Robot Food via LinkedIn, today I went in and visited them. They gave me a tour around their studio and sat me down to review my portfolio and give me feedback. It was great to see what their studio is like inside and Simon said that they are hoping to expand, so when they do there may be an opportunity for a placement.


Monday 27 October 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Momo Hello Show Manchester (Momentum Worldwide)

Before I came to Leeds College of Art, I worked at a company called Pandora's Box. Whilst I was there, I was introduced to lots of different people, Callum being one of them. He came from a marketing background and so this was his position, focusing on PR, social media as well as marketing. I worked alongside Callum for up to 6 months before leaving to start my degree. Since then, he has also moved on and progressed and now works at Momentum in Manchester. 

During the Summer break I received a message from him asking whether I would like to go along to the Momo Hello Show. The flyer below explains what it is, with all of the details listed. I jumped at the chance and visited the studio! On arrival, each person who had signed up to the event was given a name badge and a drink and then asked to go through to the main reception area and view some examples of their work whilst networking. This was a fantastic opportunity and was also a great chance for me to continue to get used to approaching people and introducing myself. 

I had some business cards printed before the event so that I was able to give my details to the creative director if I was fortunate enough to meet him, which I was. We spoke about their work and about what I am interested in and he invited me to show my work later on in the evening in a separate 'show off' room, where I sat and discussed my designs. 

They seemed very impressed with the work I had to show and we spoke about the possibility of a placement in the future. I also spoke to one of their employee's who started working there straight after uni for a three month internship and then they employed her as a permanent member of staff. She had also just won the latest competition in work, where Momentum's employee's are given the opportunity to pitch for themselves to be flown out to the studio in New Orleans to work there for a couple of months! This would be such an amazing opportunity and something I could imagine myself doing in the future if I was to ever work for Momentum. 

I am constantly in touch with Callum and have also been in contact with Oli, the creative director, and so I am hoping to either visit them again or do a placement with them. However I know that they don't tend to just offer short term placement opportunities and focus on longer internships instead. This could therefore be something I could consider for next Summer. 

Attending this event not only allowed me to meet lots of like-minded people but it also really inspired me! I was exposed to an example of experiential marketing for the first time and this is now something that I am closely focusing on in my COP3 essay as well as for my practical outcome. 




OUGD602 - PPP3: Presentation

Friday 24 October 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: TRM Pack

I made a phone call to TRM Pack as they are based in Burscough, near to where I live at home. I asked whether it would be possible for me to visit them and speak to their design team, after being passed around on the phone to several departments, one lady told me that their design team is based down in London. This was a real shame but worth the phone call. 

Monday 20 October 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Clive Cards

20th October

Today we all received an email from Tom Pollard. The college has been contacted to find out whether there is anybody interested in some part time design work. I thought it would be worth replying to so I decided that I would find out more information. 


My response is as follows:


21st October

Today I received a response from Clive, who asked whether I would be able to meet him today. So I decided to go along and discuss the project in more depth. 

We had a meeting in the Smoothie Company. He showed me all of his cards that he sells in many shops in Leeds. He used to work for Hallmark and I instantly thought this would be a great opportunity for me, so I decided to email him later on that day to let him know. Funnily enough, he had stationed himself there to meet various students and choose the person he felt was most appropriate for the job.

He had said in the meeting that he wouldn't be able to afford much, but no figures were actually discussed at the time. 


I received the following email in response, up until now I feel quite positive, but there is a part of me which isn't 100% sure about taking on the work. 


22nd October

Today I responded to the email with a variety of questions that I wanted to clear up before starting the job in hand. 


23rd October

I wanted a full day and hadn't heard anything from Clive which I thought was a little bit strange. Then today I received a response:


30th October

I spoke to John about the whole situation and explained about the pay and how I feel as though I could probably do this myself without the backing of Clive, which is why I feel so unsure about the whole thing. John gave me some advice and told me that I should email Clive with the following:

(John also asked how bothered I would be if I didn't get the work due to the client disagreeing with my suggestions, and I said I wasn't bothered at all, I am more concerned about being treated properly as a graphic designer who is close to graduating and could charge a lot more than he is willing to pay. I am not willing to produce designs for him which will not be fairly rewarded.)


3rd November

Today I received a response from Clive who said that he would have to turn down my offer. I felt a sense of relief as soon as I read the email and this is how I knew I had done the right thing. I went and told John straight away and he said he was really pleased that I had handled the situation with such professionalism. This has definitely been a learning curve for me and something I will look back on as a valuable experience when I graduate.













OUGD602 - PPP3: DR.ME Workshop

Today DR.ME came in to visit us and carry out a one day brief with us. They started the day by introducing themselves in an informal briefing and showing us a presentation with examples of their work. Having visited their website before today to have a look at the work they produce, I already had a rough idea of what they do. A lot of their work is based on music and they design album artwork for various different clients as well as promotional posters.

Although this isn't particularly the area of graphic design I would like to pursue, I found it interesting listening to their background story and how they have reached the stage they are at today. It definitely gave me the confidence to believe that one day I could set up my own business, but at the same time it made me appreciate how invaluable studio work experience really is, and I think it can make a huge impact on quality of work and being able to understand the client's needs. The more experience the better. 

Today just confirmed to me that I certainly want to work in the graphic design industry within studios or large firms (perhaps packaging within the food industry) to gain as much experience before even attempting to set up on my own. I also found it extremely interesting how different studios present themselves in completely different ways, some are very casual and informal, whilst some are quite formal and professional. I think it is important to get the balance right, and in the future when I become well established in my field of interest, I would like people to perceive me as being professional yet approachable. 

Overall, this exercise definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and I enjoyed working in a pair with someone I wouldn't usually work with. I think that although we may have taken slightly longer with the vinyl artwork and poster, we definitely felt as though we had achieved a lot at the end of the day and put a lot of thought into the concept of the designs. 

Tuesday 30 September 2014

OUGD602 - PPP3: Sharples and Grant (Summer Work Experience)

During the Summer holidays, I worked with a company called Sharples and Grant. They design packaging for pet products. I worked there for three months and was paid for it. The two guys I worked with were so friendly and welcoming and we all really got on with each other and have kept in touch ever since. I didn't feel as though I was being pushed very far whilst I was there, and since I finished my placement the two other designers have been made redundant. I am glad that I came away with two friends from the placement and also designed some work for Pets at Home. 
















Thursday 15 May 2014

OUGD502 - PPP2: End of Module Evaluation


OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 2: A Design Presence (Personal Presentation Evaluation)

I feel as though today's presentation went really well. I managed to say everything I wanted to and feel really happy with it. I am happy with the way I organised my presentation as it allowed me to explain my progression from the start of the year until now, whilst reflecting on last year as well. As soon as I was stood at the front of the room I felt completely confident and didn't feel nervous anymore. Overall, I am happy with the outcome and I am looking forward to receiving the feedback. 

Wednesday 14 May 2014

OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 1: A Design Strategy (Flexipress Printer)

Since starting the course I have tried to make as many contacts as possible, not only with design studios but also with printers. In Leeds I now tend to contact LGP Print since designing a promotional flyer for them and then when I go home I use the printers which I used before coming to university when I was working for Pandora's Box. Due to the fact that I used to use their services when I was in employment, this has helped me ever since, as they know that I am reliable and we have built up a strong relationship so I don't always have to give them a lot of notice and they will still get the work printed. This has really benefited me throughout the year and is continuing to do so as I will be getting work printed on Friday for my final OUGD505 submission. 

OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 2: A Design Presence (Presentation Boards)

Below are my two final presentation boards. I wanted to demonstrate my final pieces of work as succinctly as possible with a small explanation underneath. 



Test Prints

Below are some of the test prints. I tried to print it out in the studio but the quality wasn't brilliant so I am just going to use the standard printer paper for submission. 





OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 2: A Design Presence (Weebly Website Link)

Below is the link to my website. I have maintained simplicity all throughout the design of the three pages and I am really pleased with the outcome of it. At the moment it obviously has a website for Weebly, but when I am 100% happy with it I am going to pay for my website and build it so that it is a bit more interactive that the example I have at the moment.



OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 1: A Design Strategy (Dialogue Exhibition)

For my responsive module, I got involved with the Dialogue exhibition and entered to have my work exhibited in the Corn Exchange. Below are some photographs from the exhibition. I found this experience extremely beneficial as it allowed me to engage with a project completely different to any I had done before. I also thought it was a successful way of bringing all three year groups together. 




OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 2: A Design Presence (Presentation)

OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 1: A Design Strategy (Ethical Practice)

Throughout this year, I have realised that it isn't as easy as I had initially imaged to be a sustainable designer and to be ethically correct in the production of every product. I realised this when I visited LGP Print in Leeds. I had a long conversation when I visited, which was all based on the fact that clients often choose the cheapest option as opposed to the most eco friendly. This is because, in order to be eco friendly, vegetable based inks have to be used, which means that printers require a special printer for this, and it is all costly in its self. I try to be sustainable when I can be, and I wrote about this in my COP essay. I discussed sustainability and ethical in multinational companies. This is something I am still extremely passionate about and I plan on considering further over the Summer and into the third year.  

Tuesday 13 May 2014

OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 2: A Design Presence (Presentation Notes)

Below are my presentation notes for tomorrow. I have decided that I am not going to use any notes on the day, but want to have a brief idea in my mind of what I am going to say and what I need to cover to make sure I say everything I need to. I am feeling quite confident about the presentations and can't wait to see what everyone else has been up to.



Saturday 10 May 2014

OUGD502 - PPP2: Studio Brief 2: A Design Presence (Presentation Preparation)

When preparing my presentation for Wednesday 7th May I wanted to write a few notes down to make sure that I cover everything. I am unsure whether it is necessary to, but I would like to try and explain my logo. Although, because it is quite simple, but holds quite a deep meaning behind it, I don't know whether to mention it or not as it might not be very concise in my presentation.

I would like to be able to present my work from the start of the year until now. I think it is important that I focus on my placement at Rippleffect and talk about how much I have learnt from it and the experience I gained. I would like my presentation to flow and so I have planned it so that it explains how one thing has led to another throughout the year. 

After receiving the email from John about what we should include, I also made a note of the key points to ensure that I cover them in my presentation. I am looking forward to presenting all of my work and talking about how this year has developed and progressed for me as a designer, and I am also looking forward to seeing what everyone else is up to, as it is rare that we are able to share news and chat to everyone in the studio.