Gretta Madline
Talk to people
try interesting ways to talk to people
send people things, more interesting
The Kennedys:
small group of creatives from all disciplines who live together for 8 months in Amsterdam. Intersting experience, adjustment but its an interesting experience.
No rules, all put together to create. Struggle to get to know people in the beginning. Ego stops you from creating good work, never thought about hiding things i'm doing always sharing. Hard at the being to realise people come from different backgrounds.
Why Kennedys:
its amazing, creative accelerant life doesn't exists. Meet new people and get paid, do amazing projects that you wouldn't get the chance otherwise. Support all creative people.
Do you think being at uni gave you enough information to do your own thing:
yeah, i struggled but i think college if a good platform to do whatever you want to do. Really important to realise you have the opportunity to be serious in industry, experiment and do what you want to do.
Important to have own passions, interest and life, fine new things to look at and discover . Its more interesting when people combine skills
Progression:
roller coaster, really hard in the beginning. Had no clue where I wanted to be had a lot of ideas but didn't know what to do. Started freelancing, moved around and created the way the industry worked for her. Trust your gut feeling 'you do you'.
Important to talk to people and make friends, best things happen when you listen to that advice. Just do it, email people. You'll be surprised who responds.
How do interest effect your work:
a lot! it becomes a philosophy however don't push gold onto clients as it may not fit who the person is, but tends to slip into a lot of people, becomes infectious.
Is there a limit to persistence:
write to them like you know them, need to have an idea of what there about, then people who care will respond. BE PERSONAL
Most enjoyable project?
platform about the work in Lithuania, got the chance to meet new people. Now do podcast and challenged
If you were not designer what would you be doing:
i think id be doing anything creative, always be creating things
How do different is it working in an ad agency:
not doing any ads if they where they wouldn't be as good, come up with ideas.
Do you feel uni held you back in any way:
Uni was hard but I was quite strong so I didn't know how people would react, but because i've struggled i've learnt to fight for my ideas. Important to stand your ground, grateful as become stronger. However I wasn't encouraged enough to be creative, probably made it hard for people around me as well.
You don't have to be one thing, don't have to specialise. I like a lot of things, college was hard to try and do one thing.
Top Tips:
Create your job:
It's all up to you, create your own way if you don't know what you want to do.
Question everyone:
people will doubt things but if you fell its right, just do it.
Be silly:
your in uni you don't have to be serious, think about the work you want to be doing and so it.
Be nice, don't be an arse and just relax a bit!! enjoy the experience, stop and be grateful.
Whatever you do make sure its golden- put 100% into everything.
Let go of your ego.
Look for personality in your projects, look for soem characteristics
No-one knows what there doing, its not just you. People pretend to know
Main Milestones to get you where you are now:
hard work, never going to get easier
Very exciting, be persistent and always to do the work
Persistence, making a decision once you've decided to do something you'll get there
what are you going to add to the skills your learning, thats what will make you different. if yo have doubt just don't think of it, emails do work sometimes but if depends how and what you write. I write how I talk to people, find your own style. If you can send something its more personal.
Thursday, 26 October 2017
Creative Report
Creative Report:
- interview with a creative professional
- must be talking to the right people
- what do you want to get out of it
- 500 word count published as a digital ISSU presentation
Interviewing your heroes:
talk to people you find interesting
Interview:
exchange of information as a question and answer session to extract information that we see as important
conversation is more spontaneous into following a specific outcome like an interview. Conversations are more natural.
Interview with Michael Wolff:
how does client relationship evolve:
must like them, can't remember working for someone he didn't like
Role of client:
Huge, why is very difficult to establish, why are they doing what there doing. Hard when clients aren't open becomes difficult to guide someone on how they should express themselves. Doesn't like the word client, relationship is based on mutual respect.
'people will never forget how you made them feel' they will discard what you say or what they read.
rather not know what to do and see what happens
Biggest mistake of young designers:
vanity, we idolise others resulting in similar styles and sameness.
Encourage any designers to respect the power of writing.
Best piece of advice:
People can see how you behave, brand is a form of behaviour and very few understand how behviour is seen.
Preparation is key:
Arrange an interview:
contact in advance and will usually have to give an indication of how long the interview will take, the purpose etc. Always better face to face, becomes easier has conversation flows more naturally, never take the easy route.
How and where:
Needs consideration prior to you approaching of potential interviewees. Skype/ Facetime is an option.
Why do you want to speak to a creative hero:
have a valid reason why, got to have an answer e.g; need some help, working on a brief etc.
Plan:
requires good planning, proper questions and the nature of an interview itself
e.g:
- background
- describe yourself as a creative while at college
- what do you wish you'd known before leaving uni
- most memorable experience since uni
- why was it good? why bad?
- best achievement so far
- always ask why!!!
Interaction:
be attentive, more difficult to listen to people than you think. Monitor a number of different aspects, keep track of time
Empathy:
be sensitive to what there saying, show feeling. if there a hero tell them why.
Manage silence, use prompts, probs and checks
RELAX, don't be nervous look at them as anyone else there just like you
Probes:
ask for an example, clarification, more detail.
Checking:
summaries the interviews thoughts, check you understand what there saying.
The Formalities:
Introductions and formalities, hello names
Confirmation that its alright to record the interview, got to feel they can trust them, tell them where its going to be used
remember to prepare the recording equipment prior so your prepared, make sure phones charged
Think it threw
how?
written notes, harder to connect
Audio recording
online record (email interview)
make them fully awear of what your doing
Getting Started:
use the first question to put them at ease
something they will have little issue talking about
use notes and tick questions off as you go
Finishing:
remember to thank them, tell them why
reassure your not going to publish without telling them
good oportunity to get a second interview if sending info back
Transcription:
take a long time, be mindful of this when you consider interview length
try keep conversation going
check grammer and spelling
Too good to waste:
allow to inform practise, can inform other modules
Interview Examples:
Thursday, 19 October 2017
Networking
Methods of networking:
– email
– phone
– facebook
– Linkedin
– Behance
– mail
Networking isn't:
–Just about handing out business cards and hoping people get in touch
– Shouldn't be forced.
– Putting yourself in front of people who will hopefully remember you
– Not about getting instant work.
Its more about:
– Meeting people and sharing anything such as love of work, music.
– Make recommendations, who else should I be speaking too.
– Share all accounts on Linkedin, Instagram, twitter etc
Join the Circle:
By sharing impression, friends and projects they will simply be within your circle of friends. Make sure you engage with other, e.g. i read you post...
Be PROACTIVE:
Write an article or post about something your passionate about and simple put the link on any form of social media. Remember other creatives may want to collaborate, it works both ways others can see your work too.
Don't distance yourself:
If you don't talk to people you can't expect anything back, you've got to engage with the industry in order to be noticed and make a difference.
– phone
– Behance
Networking isn't:
–Just about handing out business cards and hoping people get in touch
– Shouldn't be forced.
– Putting yourself in front of people who will hopefully remember you
– Not about getting instant work.
Its more about:
– Meeting people and sharing anything such as love of work, music.
– Make recommendations, who else should I be speaking too.
– Share all accounts on Linkedin, Instagram, twitter etc
Join the Circle:
By sharing impression, friends and projects they will simply be within your circle of friends. Make sure you engage with other, e.g. i read you post...
Be PROACTIVE:
Write an article or post about something your passionate about and simple put the link on any form of social media. Remember other creatives may want to collaborate, it works both ways others can see your work too.
Don't distance yourself:
If you don't talk to people you can't expect anything back, you've got to engage with the industry in order to be noticed and make a difference.
Saturday, 14 October 2017
My Manifesto
My Goals:
Main Goals:
Main Goals:
- live and work in New York
- make work I'm passionate and happy about
- Don't let work stop me doing tother important things; e.g: keeping fit, socialising
- travel
- Make people say 'wow' when they see my work/ make an impression
- be more confident
- self publish?
Smaller goals:
- develop presentation skills
- network
- go to a new country in the next year
- stay on top of work
- talk to people more
- do things that scare me
- make more publications
What I've learnt:
- make work your happy with not just to get good grades
- don't stress over the small stuff
My Manifesto: Concept, Concept, Concept
- Developing my skills as a designer: editorial design, branding
- keep learning, design for screen, animation
- attention to detail
- innovative ideas, concept drives design
- don't sweat the small stuff, sometimes you fail
- being able to work from anywhere
- living and working in New York
- balance, not sacrificing staying fit staying fit for work
- being my own boss either through free-lancing or setting up my own studio
- Being able to make money from my own self directed projects
Friday, 13 October 2017
Village: Ben Holmes
About us:
started in Corn Exchanged at back end of 2012, aim was to create a space where interesting independently published publications could be easily accessible. Wanted to bring publications/artists into Leeds from around the world but also provide a space for creates in Leeds to gain exposure. Contribute to making a permanent creative community in Leeds. The incorporation of a non-profit gallery space which gives opportunity for emerging creatives in Leeds to gain exposure.
Fresh air showcases artist in the north.
Zines:
typically referring to a simple staple bound publication, however this is quite limiting. Anything which is independent published and independently published could fit under the umbrella term.
Why Self-Publish
– age of internet makes it easy to get your work seen which also makes it hard to stand out, very passive process
– zine slows people down and creates active participation, not just seeing it but touching it
– creating something permanent
– limitless applications, showcase typefaces (G.F. Smith)
– making book you've got a passion for/ interest in whilst showcasing your skills as a designer
– Made (figure 1): annual publication to showcase what they do as designers based on healthy living
– demonstrating what you do as a designer in a novel intersting way
– Allows the opportunity to collaborate
Catalogue (figure 2):
producing zines since they graduated, used to communicated there ethos and aesthetic to people in a more exciting way
Library Paper, bi-annual magazine featuring different creatives with a brief interview
What We Look For:
– specialise in photography books
– creating an object where each element says something about the content inside, cohesive artefact
Concept of book:
– foundation of any book
– how the concept is communicated, is it obvious
– should be more than its content, have a purpose/under arching idea
– Useful Photography
– format of book, has potential to communicate a lot about the book, drive the idea
Funny Money, Max Siedentopf (figure 3)
– response to tendency that western tourists have on going to african locations and paying locals to take there photos.
– went around Namibia with dollars, and asked locals for there photo in order to capture there personality but wanted them to be holding the money
– format drives idea
Design:
– layout, how content is presented on the page
– how work can be perceived through design
– Fire in Cairo: bleed develops through the book to highlight the political situation in Cairo, starting with an abstract image and focusing on the people of Cairo at the end.
– working with the designer gives the ability to say something else rather than just the design of the book
– printing method must fit the book, as can change how the book looks or is seen
– reproductive print techniques such as risograph printing loose quality, decay through repetition
– no reason the whole book has to be printed in the same way
– paper stock can change as you go through, tactile element
Surfaces Phenomena, Bartolomeo Celestino Figure 4
photos of same spot on the Australian coast, photo a day for 18 months. Used different paper stocks to showcase the photos and colours within the images. Good example of how designer can influence perspective as some images are portrait and others landscape to show how you can get lost in the ocean
Binding:
– multiple binding methods, trade off with how affordable something is vs how time consuming it is
– book doesn't necessarily have to be bound, not real right way to make a book
Details: spot varnishing, foiling etc.
– must suit what your trying to say, must fit the content
– don't be a gimmick
Commercial Considerations
– Last consideration you want to make is think of the book as a product, when a books being sold all the elements above are important, how they work together on a shelf. Is the impression immediate?
– price tag
– exposure is just as valuable as sales if not more
Self Publishing Community:
– Offprint, London self publishing community get together and showcase there work
– engage with the community, look at others books
started in Corn Exchanged at back end of 2012, aim was to create a space where interesting independently published publications could be easily accessible. Wanted to bring publications/artists into Leeds from around the world but also provide a space for creates in Leeds to gain exposure. Contribute to making a permanent creative community in Leeds. The incorporation of a non-profit gallery space which gives opportunity for emerging creatives in Leeds to gain exposure.
Fresh air showcases artist in the north.
Zines:
typically referring to a simple staple bound publication, however this is quite limiting. Anything which is independent published and independently published could fit under the umbrella term.
Why Self-Publish
– age of internet makes it easy to get your work seen which also makes it hard to stand out, very passive process
– zine slows people down and creates active participation, not just seeing it but touching it
– creating something permanent
– limitless applications, showcase typefaces (G.F. Smith)
– making book you've got a passion for/ interest in whilst showcasing your skills as a designer
– Made (figure 1): annual publication to showcase what they do as designers based on healthy living
– demonstrating what you do as a designer in a novel intersting way
– Allows the opportunity to collaborate
Catalogue (figure 2):
producing zines since they graduated, used to communicated there ethos and aesthetic to people in a more exciting way
Library Paper, bi-annual magazine featuring different creatives with a brief interview
What We Look For:
– specialise in photography books
– creating an object where each element says something about the content inside, cohesive artefact
Concept of book:
– foundation of any book
– how the concept is communicated, is it obvious
– should be more than its content, have a purpose/under arching idea
– Useful Photography
– format of book, has potential to communicate a lot about the book, drive the idea
Funny Money, Max Siedentopf (figure 3)
– response to tendency that western tourists have on going to african locations and paying locals to take there photos.
– went around Namibia with dollars, and asked locals for there photo in order to capture there personality but wanted them to be holding the money
– format drives idea
Design:
– layout, how content is presented on the page
– how work can be perceived through design
– Fire in Cairo: bleed develops through the book to highlight the political situation in Cairo, starting with an abstract image and focusing on the people of Cairo at the end.
– working with the designer gives the ability to say something else rather than just the design of the book
– printing method must fit the book, as can change how the book looks or is seen
– reproductive print techniques such as risograph printing loose quality, decay through repetition
– no reason the whole book has to be printed in the same way
– paper stock can change as you go through, tactile element
Surfaces Phenomena, Bartolomeo Celestino Figure 4
photos of same spot on the Australian coast, photo a day for 18 months. Used different paper stocks to showcase the photos and colours within the images. Good example of how designer can influence perspective as some images are portrait and others landscape to show how you can get lost in the ocean
Binding:
– multiple binding methods, trade off with how affordable something is vs how time consuming it is
– book doesn't necessarily have to be bound, not real right way to make a book
Details: spot varnishing, foiling etc.
– must suit what your trying to say, must fit the content
– don't be a gimmick
Commercial Considerations
– Last consideration you want to make is think of the book as a product, when a books being sold all the elements above are important, how they work together on a shelf. Is the impression immediate?
– price tag
– exposure is just as valuable as sales if not more
Self Publishing Community:
– Offprint, London self publishing community get together and showcase there work
– engage with the community, look at others books
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| Figure 1 |
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| Figure 2 |
 |
| Figure 3 |
 |
| Figure 4 |
Thursday, 12 October 2017
Professionalism
Amateur:
– doesn't get paid
Semi- professional
– get paid but doesn't relay on as a profession
Professional
–work that needs specialist training
– engaged in a specified activity as ones main paid occupation
What are we?
Clients:
– doesn't get paid
Semi- professional
– get paid but doesn't relay on as a profession
Professional
–work that needs specialist training
– engaged in a specified activity as ones main paid occupation
What are we?
- Being creative for money
- Commercial art, our work is often used to sell, promote, explain, narrate and inform.
- Graphic design was only named in 1922
Clients:
- Creating work for someone else throws up problems as creativity is subjective
- Colour opinions often arise
- Open to
- personal taste
- Committee thinking (more than one client, all making different decisions)
- trend
- cultural and ethnic acceptance
- personality clashes
- Be your own client
- Rationalise Work:personal opinion, your not the customer your trying to attract
Downside:
- not getting work
- poor quality clients
- clients who don't listen
- communication problems
- poor and negotiated outcomes
- not getting paid!
Mission Statement
- simple paragraph that details purpose for being, tells people what your about
Published verbal declaration of the intensions of a company
First Things First - manifesto
Has been developed over the years, to reflect how creative practise has changed over the years.
- Ken Garland, 1964
- Jonathan Barnbrook, 2000
- Cole Peters, 2014
My Mission Statement/Manifesto:
What would you like to be seen as, as a creative practitioner...
Sunday, 8 October 2017
Dalton Maag
Intro into Type Design:
In order to start developing a typeface Dalton Maag starts with kick off workshops where they explore existing typefaces by looking at the characteristics of fonts and determining what the client does and doesn't like. Within the worksop they present an image gallery and ask the client to pick those which best represent the values. On the reverse of the images are typographic representations of the image which allows Dalton Maag to make the transition from values into typographic characteristics. Another exercise is the font grid where the client is asked to add cards to the sections which is most important to there brand. Once the workshop is complete Dalton Maag revisit their brief and work through the following stages, discuss, sketch an design. Once the sketches have been drawn there digitalised using Postscript which involves describing the outline of the letters with as little nods as possible. The typeface is presented using TrueType which allows the font to be hinted which involves controlling the pixels within each letterform. The font is present in a regular weight which is developed into extreme weights once the client has signed off. Once extreme weights have been developed it becomes easier to alter the weighting to present different weights to the client. Once the font is design they move onto looking at kerning by adding structures to increase the space. Finally once the font is designed it then needs to be engineered to work on all platforms. Coding is used to control the metrics of the font to allow the font to be successfully delivered to the client. Final delivery comes in the following forms:
Desktop:
- TTF
Web:
- EOT
- TTF
- WOFF
- WOFF2
App:
- TTF
Overall I found this talk very interesting as I previously didn't know about the mechanics of creating a typeface and the research that goes into identify the desired characteristics. It was particularly to find out about the engineering of a typeface and the use of coding to prepare the typeface for delivery and use. Additionally it was interesting to learn how many different ideas they work on at once in order to present options to the client, and how the font is developed from a regular weight to multiple different weights.
In order to start developing a typeface Dalton Maag starts with kick off workshops where they explore existing typefaces by looking at the characteristics of fonts and determining what the client does and doesn't like. Within the worksop they present an image gallery and ask the client to pick those which best represent the values. On the reverse of the images are typographic representations of the image which allows Dalton Maag to make the transition from values into typographic characteristics. Another exercise is the font grid where the client is asked to add cards to the sections which is most important to there brand. Once the workshop is complete Dalton Maag revisit their brief and work through the following stages, discuss, sketch an design. Once the sketches have been drawn there digitalised using Postscript which involves describing the outline of the letters with as little nods as possible. The typeface is presented using TrueType which allows the font to be hinted which involves controlling the pixels within each letterform. The font is present in a regular weight which is developed into extreme weights once the client has signed off. Once extreme weights have been developed it becomes easier to alter the weighting to present different weights to the client. Once the font is design they move onto looking at kerning by adding structures to increase the space. Finally once the font is designed it then needs to be engineered to work on all platforms. Coding is used to control the metrics of the font to allow the font to be successfully delivered to the client. Final delivery comes in the following forms:
Desktop:
- TTF
Web:
- EOT
- TTF
- WOFF
- WOFF2
App:
- TTF
Overall I found this talk very interesting as I previously didn't know about the mechanics of creating a typeface and the research that goes into identify the desired characteristics. It was particularly to find out about the engineering of a typeface and the use of coding to prepare the typeface for delivery and use. Additionally it was interesting to learn how many different ideas they work on at once in order to present options to the client, and how the font is developed from a regular weight to multiple different weights.
Wednesday, 4 October 2017
Summer Reflection: influential experiences
Experiences/ Events:
- Rock, Cornwall
- looking back on last year, realising what I want to do differently this year:
start producing my own work
making work i'm passionate about and happy
exploring editorial, design for screen
- learnt to drive (stalled whilst turning onto a main road)
- starting going to the gym more, focusing on health more
- moved into a new house
- broke down on motorway with no hard shoulder in the rain
- LCA degree show
Most influential experience, why?
Looking back on the year and deciding I wanted to make more time for myself to make my own work, go to the gym more and not stress out as much about making things perfect. I realised I needed to stop worrying about other people and work and focus on making myself happy rather than putting so much pressure on myself because the pressure of first year resulted in my crying on the uni floor toilets in front of a lot of people. Although this wasn't a great situation in made me realise that I shouldn't worry about the little things and should focus on what actually matters to me. Consequently I realised I wanted to make work I was passionate and happy with whilst maintain a life outside of uni that meant I could focus and make goals not related to graphics. Summer allowed me to focus on my health and fitness to the point where I didn't dread going to the gym because I felt like I was waisting time but that I was excited to go because I had goals I wanted to achieve and I could feel myself becoming stronger. This resulted in a focus on being more productive with the time I have at uni during 2nd year as I was prioritising my self over my work and not the other way around, because at the end of the day although I got a first in the very module that made me cry it didn't actually count and in all honesty I think I'd rather be happy than stressed out and sad over a stupid number on a piece of paper. Despite this I still have the same determination to do well and to create the best work I can but that determination has been put into perspective and is so far working out quite well.
- Rock, Cornwall
- looking back on last year, realising what I want to do differently this year:
start producing my own work
making work i'm passionate about and happy
exploring editorial, design for screen
- learnt to drive (stalled whilst turning onto a main road)
- starting going to the gym more, focusing on health more
- moved into a new house
- broke down on motorway with no hard shoulder in the rain
- LCA degree show
Most influential experience, why?
Looking back on the year and deciding I wanted to make more time for myself to make my own work, go to the gym more and not stress out as much about making things perfect. I realised I needed to stop worrying about other people and work and focus on making myself happy rather than putting so much pressure on myself because the pressure of first year resulted in my crying on the uni floor toilets in front of a lot of people. Although this wasn't a great situation in made me realise that I shouldn't worry about the little things and should focus on what actually matters to me. Consequently I realised I wanted to make work I was passionate and happy with whilst maintain a life outside of uni that meant I could focus and make goals not related to graphics. Summer allowed me to focus on my health and fitness to the point where I didn't dread going to the gym because I felt like I was waisting time but that I was excited to go because I had goals I wanted to achieve and I could feel myself becoming stronger. This resulted in a focus on being more productive with the time I have at uni during 2nd year as I was prioritising my self over my work and not the other way around, because at the end of the day although I got a first in the very module that made me cry it didn't actually count and in all honesty I think I'd rather be happy than stressed out and sad over a stupid number on a piece of paper. Despite this I still have the same determination to do well and to create the best work I can but that determination has been put into perspective and is so far working out quite well.
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