Creative Report: Responses

After sending emails to multiple designer whose work I admire and who have sent up on their won both Benjamin Craven and Hungry Sandwich Club got back to me with some very helpful pieces of advice, giving me a lot to consider and think about. Furthermore upon receiving these response I think personally I would benefit from industry experience before setting up on my own as I don't have a distinct style yet and an unsure about the area of design I want to go into which are all things needed when setting up on your own.

Benjamin Craven:

What was it like setting up your own practice after leaving university, was there anything your where concern about when setting up on your own?

First of all I didn’t set up straight away, I moved to London and worked a 9-5 job at a supplier. I would do my personal work after work hours and put extra time in. This meant I could live and have money while doing my own thing. (Didn’t have the biggest social life) I would balance out freelance work along with my 9-5 this meant I was building an online profile on social media etc.

What has been the hardest part of setting up one your own?

The hardest part for me was probably money, getting enough money in to live off. When I left London I had no job, (still don’t haha) I moved back home for a bit and really concentrated on creating new work.

Clients started emailing me about projects etc... this sounds really jammy but things just fell into place. Don’t get me wrong I was living broke for a while!!! 

I kind of like it though. 

Motivates you more and more! 

Ohhh and also,work out your day rate! £250 a day is a good starting point, then work your way up. 

Do you think your distinct style has helped you stand out and build a client base?

Certainly, there are a few other artists with a similar aesthetic but it’s still very bold and unique. Being funky and colourful has helped me - Instagram is massively imported also... people want to see busy colourful things! Most of my work comes from

Insta.

Why did you choose to set up on your own rather than going into industry first?

I set up on my own because I was sick of someone else telling me what to do, then getting paid pennies!!! I wanted freedom!!! I’m really self driven and being stuck in front of a computer for hours on end in an office was killing me, it’s very mind numbing! - hense why I started to better myself and do my personal work after a 9-5. 

Also working for yourself is super fun and cool but it’s probably 100% more stressful - I quite like that and the pressure! Makes me work better haha. Also it’s super fun receiving emails for new projects!Done minute I could be doing interiors and the next could be designing a wine bottle! I love it haha

Hungry Sandwich Club:

Why did you both choose to set up on your own, was there a specific event that made you want to go out on your own?

We chose to set up because we enjoyed working together and wanted to continue to make cool stuff after we graduated, simple as that really.

There wasn't really a specific event that made us want to go out on our own but we just loved the thought of giving it a go and seeing what we could make of it. 

How did you find the first year of running your own studio, was it difficult to finds clients?

First year was pretty tricky, we didn't earn loads of money especially compared to our friends on the course who wen't out and got full time jobs.

Clients come in time, if you put out good work they'll come. We found a niche in the Leeds market doing character focused animation so that really helped. 

Do you think working in industry before setting up on your own would off helped you in the first year of running your own studio? 

We both did loads of placements in the last two years of uni which helped us gain a little bit of knowledge.

We didn't pretend we knew it all so lots of other design studios were happy to teach us everything we know today. 

We're keen to not stop learning either, always listen to advice from those who've been around a while :) 

What has been the hardest part of running the Hungary Sandwich Club?

It can get pretty hectic and stressful when you’re trying to be a creative but also run a studio and with multiple employees. Dealing with everything can be pretty tough. 

What advice would you give someone considering setting up on their own straight out on University?

Make sure you have a niche! If you don't, you'll be competing against people who've been in the industry for a long time. 

Go to as many design events as you can, each person you meet could be a potential client. 

Make sure you've had a taste of it beforehand. Have you done a placement? Is freelancing right for you? 

And lastly make sure you're your own worst boss, you've got to be strict with yourself and make sure you're in work everyday and putting in 100%. 

Creative Report: Contacting Designers

In order to start developing my connections with designers within industry I've identified a number os studios and designers whose work I admire. In order to get something out of making the creative report I've chosen to focus on designers who've set up on there own in order to gain advice and perspective as this is something I would like to do in the future. Therefore I contacted some studios identified earlier such as Hungry Sandwich Club and Alphabet, as well as designers I've found and followed over the year such as Benjamin Craven, Ben Mottershead.

Hungry Sandwich Club:

Hi, Andy and Martin 

Hope your both doing good, I’m currently doing some research into designers who have set up on their own and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions, as you where both very helpful last time. 

Why did you both choose to set up on your own, was there a specific event that made you want to go out on your own?

How did you find the first year of running your own studio, was it difficult to finds clients?

Do you think working in industry before setting up on your own would off helped you in the first year of running your own studio? 

What has been the hardest part of running the Hungary Sandwich Club?

What advice would you give someone considering setting up on their own straight out on University?

Kind Regards, 

Neve Ball 

Benjamin Craven: 

Hi Benjamin,

I hope you well,  I’m a graphic student as Leeds Arts University currently doing some research into designers who have set up on their own and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions as I really like the work you do, especially your recent Look Mate London, love the jazzy socks.

Questions:

What was it like setting up your own practice after leaving university, was there anything your where concern about when setting up on your own?

What has been the hardest part of setting up one your own?

Do you think your distinct style has helped you stand out and build a client base?

Why did you choose to set up on your own rather than going into industry first?

Kind Regards,

Neve Ball 

Franklyn:

Hi, 

I hope your all well, I’m a graphic student as Leeds Arts University currently doing some research into designers who have set up on their own and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions as I really like the work you do especially the studio section of you website. I was wondering what made you incorporate the hidden aspects to the illustrations of each staff member?

What do you think are the key aspects your approach to design that allows you to succeed as a studio? 

What was the hardest part of running your studio went you first set up on your own?

Why did you choose to set up your own studio, was there a specific event that made you start up on your own? 

Kind Regards,

Neve Ball 

Ben Mottershead

Hi, Ben

I hope you well,  I’m a graphic student at Leeds Arts University currently doing some research into designers who have set up on their own and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions as I really like the work you do, especially your recent branding for The Turing Shed.

Questions:

Why did you choose to set up on your own, was there a specific event that made you want to go out on your own?

What was it like setting up your own practice, was there anything you where concern about when setting up on your own?

What advice would you give someone considering setting up on their own straight out on University?

What is the best part about having your own practice? 

What has been the best piece of advice you’ve received since setting up on your own? 

Kind Regards,

Neve Ball 

Alphabet: 

Hi, Sam, Sebastian and Abbas

I hope your all well,  I’m a graphic student at Leeds Arts University currently doing some research into designers who have set up on their own and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions as I really like the work you do, especially your recent branding for The Bureau. 

Questions:

Why did you choose to set up on your own, was there a specific event that made you all set up together?

What has been the most beneficial aspect of setting up as a team rather than you each going out on your own?

What advice would you give someone considering setting up on their own straight out on University, should you get industry experience first?

What is the most difficult aspect of running your own studio and do you think working together has helped reduces the stress of setting up on your own? 

To what extent do you think your unique approach to design helps you stand out against other creatives?

Kind Regards,

Neve Ball 

Personal Practice: Online Presence

In order to build up my online presence and connect with more people within industry I've joined LinkedIn which has helped me connect with visiting professionals as well as other designers within the creative community in Leeds and university. This has allowed me to stay connected with professionals who visit and we work with within university instead of just listening to them and not being able to contact them again. However although this has been helpful over the year I plan to engage more effectively with LinkedIn over summer and next year by connecting my portfolio and work experience in order to make my profile more 'business' oriented instead of showcasing myself as a student as I want to get more experience working within the industry and with clients throughout level 6. Furthermore I want to create a cohesive identity across all online platforms including LinkedIn, my design Instagram and website featuring my portfolio which I plan to develop this summer ready for level 6 as this will provide an easy platform to showcase my work to studios and clients.

Wayfinding: Pitch and Feedback

Both myself and Fleur presented our wayfinding pitch on behalf of the group as we felt most comfortables to present within the group as other members preferred to no present. This was a helpful process as I felt this allowed me to gain more experience with presenting which is something I’m not very confident with and find difficult. However I personally feel this presentation went well, with all topics being covered clearly and concisely allowing enough time for questions at the end of the presentation. In relation to the presentation itself we discussed the key aspects of out wayfinding system allowing the concept and de

sign to be delivered clearly with any additional questions being successfully answered during the question and answer section at the end of the pitch. Personally I’m happy with the presentation skills I demonstrated within this pitch as it has allowed me to gain confidence speaking in front of large group of people, whilst clearly delivering what I needed to say.

Feedback:

Upon completing our pitch we received feedback as a group based on the pitch/content of the pitch. Feedback stated that we delivered a solid presentation however it wasn't really a pitch more a presentation of an idea, whereas a pitch need to sell an idea in order to gain support. Furthermore it was suggested to use scale more to showcase how people would interact with the system, show potential human interaction to allow audience to see how system would work within the environment. Therefore it was suggested that we could of focused on the idea of the circle more and honed in on the idea of community and sustainability rather than focusing on the design of the actual system. Overall the pitch had massive potential but needed more scale and consideration to make good ideas great. Overall I feel this feedback is fair and has allowed me to realise the difference between and pitch and presentation giving me an idea of what to include and focus on in the future. 

Wayfinding: Final Designs and Mock ups

Based on the final designs (see figures 1-3) Emma created digital mock ups to be used within the pitch in order to showcased the system more effectively by incorporating scale (see figures 4-12) . These mock ups where used as the main content for the pitch which was put together by Fluer and myself as we chose to present as we where most confident with presenting out of the group. This allowed us both to plan what we wanted to say/cover when pitching, making sure we covered all development points as well as conveying the concept behind the design - the circle, unity and community. Overall I personally feel our wayfinding system successfully communicate unity and community through the inspiration taken from a circle as seen within the pictograms and typeface (circular std) chosen. Furthermore the use of mock ups allows the focus on sustainability to be shown through the use of cork boards. In addition this allows scale to be shown giving a more realistic representation of the system. In order to strengthen the focus on sustainability and to show the materials that would be used within the system other members of the group created life size mock ups of room numbers whilst we put together the pitch. This added an extra element to the pitch as people could see and feel what the system would be like (see figures 13-14). 

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Group Discussion - Wayfinding

In relation to my designs (see figures 1-3) people liked the humour of the toilet pictograms and the concept, however we felt as a group that Emma's designs where more consistant and create a simple visual aesthetic allowing the system to be easily understandable. Overall we decided as a group to go with Emma's designs as we felt these best complimented the typeface chosen and fit well within the format of super-graphics.

Whilst discussing our initial ideas as a group we started to develop the idea of incorporating circles within the system as inspired by the typeface circular std and the pictograms developed by Emma (see figure 4) which are heavily inspired by circles due to the smooth edges and curves within the pictograms. As we had all developed ideas using super-graphics based on a common themes of featuring coloured numbers on cork it was easy to developed the designs further by changing the existing shape of the cork to be circles. From this developed we looked at existing wayfinding (see figure 5-6) systems to develop ideas on how to implement the system, leading to the potential idea to split the female and male pictograms around the door frames to implement the images throughout the university rather than just on the informational signs. In relation to the toilets which are separate the icon for that gender would be split around the door frame (see figure 7).

Quick Discussion Points:
In-between directions:
spray painted on wall, typeface and simple arrow.

Notice boards:
discipline overlapped like numbers allows students to personalise their corridor which will be separate from the main information signs for each floor, which will have there own small section for students to put up notices.

Room numbers:
round circles with number in the middle following the same aesthetics of the main information signs.

Informational signs:
grouping room numbers together to make them easier to follow and find as the current system makes this very difficult e.g; 1-10 > or < 25-35.

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Wayfinding: Visual Research

Based on our initial meeting as a group, choosing to focus on supergraphic's within wayfinding systems I decided to look at successful systems that use supergraphics as a key element.

Ravensbourne:
Ravensbourne's wayfinding draws on key elements of its visual identity which was created to represent the key elements of the college by making the identify bold to represent the international impact the college has. Furthermore the identity created needed to be easy to read and develop across all media, which has been achieved in relation to the wayfinding system (see figures 1-2). The wayfinding system itself alters and uses visual elements from the brand identity to create a consistant theme across the college. This allows the system to stand out due to the bold nature of the identity and colours used, as well as showcasing the creative nature of the college. Furthermore this is heightened through the incorporation of variations on the identity such as the use of a pencil and hand drawn elements (see figure 2). The main elements of the previous visual identity where inspired by the titles covering the building the houses the college which is still visible within the geometric features of the new wayfinding system.

Kalmar Konstmuseum:
I chose to look at the wayfinding system for Kalmar Konstmuseum as the system involves painting directly onto the walls which was something we discussed within our initial meeting as a group. The designers wanted something to bounce off the concrete walls and emphasise the materials within the building as the system was designed at the same time the building was built (see figures 3-5). The use of large square signage plastered on the walls creates a systems that helps the audience find there way around the museum, with vinyl being used for easy application/modification. The use of a solid bold contrasting colour (yellow) allows the system to stand out and be visible to users across all levels as well as linking with the overall identity of the museum which is connected through the use of yellow and the custom typefaces used. The contrast between the bright yellow and dark concrete allows the type to be clear visible/legible as the information is cut out of the vinyl further allowing the for the link to stencils to be shown.  Furthermore in relation to the custom typefaces created, two where designed Kalmar Sans Stencil for display type and Kalmar Sans for body text as using only a sentcil typeface would become difficult to read at smaller type sizes meaning a more solid typeface needed to be created for larger bodies of text. This allows the link to stencils to remain across the branding without damaging legibility, allowing for a clear and effective system to be created.

Both of these systems are visually effective as well as working successfully as navigational tools. I plan to explore elements from each within my own designs looking at supergraphics and the colours used within the LAU branding.

Wayfinding: Sustainability within LAU

Leeds Arts University Sustainability Policy/aims:

• Develop and enhance our Estate by identifying opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint and optimise our building systems, fabric and infrastructure to be more energy efficient 

• Foster inquiry into sustainability through teaching, learning and research 

• Embed sustainability within the curriculum (environmental– societal, economic) 

• Ensure our graduates are sustainability literate, equipped with the skills, knowledge and understanding to live and work in a complex and changing world 

• Ensure all staff and students are aware of their individual and collective responsibilities regarding sustainable practice 

• Actively encourage and support student engagement throughout all sustainability developments in the University 

• Share knowledge across all areas of University activity to raise awareness of and ensure effective participation in sustainability practices 

Upon reflection of these aims the incorporation of cork and personalised sections within the wayfinding system would allow students to interact with sustainable materials within the system, showing how they can implement them within their own practice/lives. Making sustainability a key part of the system highlights its importance within the university in a fun and engaging way through the use of cork boar signage which students can personalise. This allows them to create a unique learning environment that they feel comfortable in whilst providing a simple navigational system. 

Wayfinding: Research and Initial Ideas

Upon further discussion of our initial ideas including the use of super-graphics we have further refined our ideas. The colours have been taken from the existing university branding so students feel like their apart of the institution, creating a feel of consistency and unity across all buildings.

• cork board used as base for wayfinding system 
• incorporate notice board into wayfinding, customise area to course  
• supergraphics 
• circular std as seen in initial experiments 
• colours, blue, purple, pink, white and blue 

What was liked about initial designs:
Upon presentation of my initial sketches/ideas it was found that use of big signs/super-graphics to show present information such floor number and facilities on the floor was successful (see figures 1-2). Furthermore the incorporation of hand-drawn inspired arrows was also liked as it gave the system more of a playful feel (see figures 2). The basis for the use of shapes within the system have been inspired by a staircase which represents the development of students. In order to further the development of these initial ideas I've implemented the colours we identified during our discussion to see how they would work together. Furthermore I've experimented with the incorporation of symbols to display common places such as toilets (see figure 3). In line with our discussion the typeface has been change to Circle Std which to its bold nature is easily legible at large sizes working well within the format of a super-graphic. I've experimented with the two designs most favoured in the initial discussions those with the information overlapping the number and those with the information on the side (see figures 2-3). Personally I think the placement of the information on the side is more user friendly as its easier to understand. In order to incorporate the arrows these could be places along the corridors in order to lead students to specific buildings (see figures 4-5).

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