OUGD603: EVALUATION

In this brief I have tried to execute a range of briefs showing my multidisciplinary skills in the field of graphic design. Particularly through this brief I have focused on branding, advertising, editorial and type design. Across this brief I have tried to experiment using ways of working that are new to me, these include animation, video creation and new ways of bookbinding. I have enjoyed nearly all of the projects but found it particularly hard on some, this particularly the case with Brut were my collaboration partner didn't make any effort. Saying this some of my most successful projects from this brief include For Tomorrow and Around the World in 80 Pages and these were both collaboration. I feel the key difference here was I knew the skills level of my collaborators before deciding to do a brief, this wasn't the case with the Brut project. Projects that surprised me included Heinz, which at one point I was going to drop due to being unable to get get equipment to film. This negative turned to a positive when I decided to do a stop frame illustrated animation. Although this was tedious at times it was very rewarding at the end and enthused me to do more illustration something I used to love doing. To conclude OUGD603 has improved my technical and thinking skills across a range of applications for my practise, although challenging at times it has made me consider time management and how to deal with a big work load. It has also shown me how to collaborate in the wrong and right way. It has given me a much clearer idea of my style of work and what works best for me.

OUGD602: PPP - EVALUATION

In this brief I have explored the professional practise, researching into where I want to be in the creative industry and documenting personal journey of this. This brief has taught me a lot about myself and the direction I want to go in. Key aspects that I have taken away from this brief are; the importance of people skills and being friendly, getting your priorities right, using every contact you have and using them well.  Using you contacts would be the best piece of advice I could give to any young designer. By using friends of friends or family friends I managed to secure a placement, which then lead onto another week’s placement and eventually a job offer. This was my ideal situation leaving university, ad I feel the skills learnt from this module getting me the placement and a professional attitude got me the job.   This trickle effect of who you know can be a game changer and being open minded, approachable and friendly allows these small opportunities to turn into something. I have learnt how to deal with time, juggling lots of projects at the same time, this has prepared me for in To conclude I have learnt to be more comfortable of who I am as a designer. One key aspect I have taken away from this year is to trust you own design and instinct. Too often I see people try to replicate a someone else style. With some of my peers having success early on the course it would have been an easy option to jump on there wave and style of design. I believe it takes a strong confident designer to stick to their own guns knowing that with hard work at persistence, opportunity will arise, like the job offer for me.

OUGD602: PPP - LIST OF CONTACTS

List of Contacts:

Here is a list of contacts i have been building since looking for placements and securing my job.

OUGD602: PPP - TIME PLANNING

OUGD602: PPP - EMAIL CORRESPONDANCE

Here is some email correspondance between me and industry, I tried to use professional language when emailing being polite but forward and to the point.

OUGD602: PPP - MANIFESTO

My ethos 

As a designer I aim to make the world a better place through design that’s functional and serves a purpose. My design should always serve a function but at the same time take a fun approach making the outcome and workload. I believe in general design should take a minimal or busy approach to a piece, my experience has taught me this. Saying this my best work is my most refined work, design should strip away the unnecessary and I hope to carry on creating work in this style, building a minimal aesthetic that communicates with ease. I work best under pressure, short intense projects allow me to produce work at an industry speed and make me create solutions efficiently. 

My plans for leaving university 

After university I will be starting my new job in the role of junior designer. This very exciting move will be my first job in the industry. I hope to gain an understanding of how the industry works, communicating with clients and working with colleagues. I hope to broaden my skill set, working to hard deadlines under pressure , as well a technical  and people skills.

The future

With the original plan of doing an internship for 6 months to a year. I had then planned to find a studio abroad to be a junior in by 2020. These plans have changed since my job offer, making me consider my new journey. My aim to become a rounded graphic designer in the commercial world, gaining experience at Springetts for 2-3 years. This should give me a good bearing of the industry and where I would like to go from there. I know I defiantly want to be working abroad in the next stage of the career. New York or Scandinavia are the destinations I am most interested in. 

OUGD602: PPP - PLACEMENT - Springetts

Springetts 

After creating my personal branding assets I carried on to get in touch with studios. I received a couple of responses but felt I wasn't getting far by emailing and calling studios. To ensure I would get a placement I reached out to all my contacts in the creative industry through friends and any family contacts. I contacted media agency Fin London, there I know the guys well, my uncle used to be a founder and I have kept in close contact with the team there. After explaining my situation to one of the directors and showing him my portfolio he introduced me to Springetts. Managing to get me placement for a week. This was a big favour and Springetts are a great branding studio.

The studio has been around for 40 years and focuses on branding and packaging for huge clients such as McVities, Kettle Chips and GU. The studio is large with nearing 20 designers. I really enjoyed my first week, fitting in and being put on exciting projects. I was enthused by being moved around and working on array of live briefs. Although I was only meant to be there for a week, I was asked to stay for a second. This was very encouraging, and more so when on of the head designers asked me to hand in my portfolio.  The next week flew by and I was non stop, again working on lots of projects.

The second week was when I got to know the creative director. I had already been hinting that I was finishing soon. He then tasked me with creating a short video for a pitch for the next day for man united football club. I knew this was my challenge, a test almost. Me and him went through a story board briefly and I then had the evening to turn it round. I loved this sense of challenge and spent most of the night up working on it. He was very impressed and sent it off to the client.

Getting a job: 

Too my complete surprise he walked over later on that day and offered me a junior design position. He had obviously talked to the different head designers about my work over the last 2 weeks. I couldn't believe it and was thrilled to except. I think I was very fortunate at being in the right place at the right time. I very much felt a part of the team by the time I left, I realised how key it is to have good people skills. I was also very lucky to find a studio that fits my style. This couldn't have been better news. Leaving uni was something I was quite apprehensive about, this took away all these worries. Not only this but I had learnt so much in the 2 weeks and felt I couldn't learn the ways of the industry at a better place with better people if I tried.

This then effected my branding and I didn't have to worry about printing my business cards and making my website could take a backseat. I would have business cards made for me by Springetts, and I’m sure working a full time job means that I wont be taking on any freelance work so personal business cards seem like a waste of tie and money currently.