GLUG: Xibit

Learning Outcomes: 6A2 and 6B2

Glug-xibit - event 

How creative practitioners are inspired by own personal collections 

Glug club - discounts  

Getty - 40% Getty images glug20 

Melanie hough Getty images 

Ideas are to objectives as constellations are to stars Walter Benjamin 

Curating is enlivening stuff, collections

Founded in 1854 - London stereoscopic 

1500 collections 

Jpg by email rather than prints by posts allows images to be accessible 

Archived and collection 

Not really the collector more caretaker 

Collectors trying to leave trace of themselves 

History before history 

Unpacking history of images can learn about people involved which adds value to the images 

Maker of photograph brings image to life 

Collections of last frames? End of film 

Start as object- story of object image as subject for social changes - Yosemite protection 

Aesthetic point of view- visual juxtaposed 

Shoes photographic ambition 

Images going into other collections 

Getty achieve 

Adam Allsuch Boardman - AAAB illustration

An illustrated history of filmmaking 

Home on grange 

Collections - information 

Game modding - making games prettier 

Infographics for modding communities 

Manage large amounts of assets - textures, images 

All of the tin tin book 

9 months foundation and ba illustration at Lau 

In-depth collection of picture house 

Joiner photography - documenting as muoch spatial information as possible 

Modled whole building in sketch 

Picture house into illustration book

Vegan based on reading and imagery surrounding film 

Collecting raw information and quantify 

Refined colours over time 

Pinterest - reference imagery 

How objects changed over number of years 

It’s ok to go backwards don’t have to over complicate things 

Home on Lagrange build a space station 

Card game 

Research based on 1970s space utopia 

Looked into audiobooks and podcasts 

Research helps avoid creative block collect information

Created a data bank of rules: colours, people, cars etc 

Helps keep designs consistent 

Experiments became a collection

Health response to media your consuming in a creative way 

Other collections:

Communicated flat explanations 

Explore interests 

After effects 

Space mountains - collections of facts

AAAD 

Oli Bentley - split studio 

These northern Types:

• Exhibition of 16 typographic artworks and writing 
• Bunch of books in 1 book 
• Explored different materials and processes 

Starting point:

• Proud of being northern wanted do typographic project 
• Big questions came up 
• What it means to be from a place 
• Is it important to be from somewhere 
• Northern provided a lens to explore issues that effect all 

Liberating process of going backwards 

Reverse identity exploding things apart 

Many identities 

Curating questions, investigating the right thing 

Didn’t want to define northern but what it means to be from the north 

Started Looking at:

• Born and bread proper northern through an through 
• Used old maps and responded to crest typographically 
• The idea of the other 

Talking to people 

• Old people home 
• Sat and talked to ruby - northern sole what made her norther 
• Loose bits of ourselves - memory 
• Cultural memory loss 
• Melted lead type of Ruby’s words 
• Printed from melted type 

Typeface for the north 

• Largest letterpress in world 
• Based on cross section if steal 
• People didn’t feel like begging heard - big poster so felt heard 
• Helped by engineers as type was laser cut and welded 

Northern separate to Englishness 

Printed on England flag with sound installation 

No nonsense northern

Low threshold for bullshit 

Profound - bullshit 

Wheel of fortune 

Attachment to place 

Launch for the north set in London 

Legal application to trademark the north 

Northern identity is a myth 

Place based identity is a myth 

Make sure it’s positive and progressive 

How Oli Felt throughout:

• Imposter syndrome 
• Terror of going of on lim 
• Less scared to put yourself out there 

These Northern Types books 

Laura wellington:

Co founder and director of duke studios 

75 resident companies 

Print - collection 

150 prints 

Started with mum - artists printing company 

Worked at factory 4 

Collection is a journey 

Jonny Akers Bristol 

No brow 

Loop arts fair - leeds marshals mill

Laura Wellington 

Instagram Professionals Talk

Learning Objectives: 6B2, 6A2, 6D2

In order to started brainstorming ideas of who we would want to bring into uni the group (Emma, Lizzie, Kat, Ali, Dani and I) started looking at designers and studios we like ourselves to identify if any get work via their Instagram.

Initial ideas:

• Benjamin Craven
• Meme Gold 
• not necessarily a designer 
• Split Studio - Oli Bentley 
• doesn't get work from Instagram 
• AIGA Eye on Design 
• Kenneth Vanoverbeke 
• Aaron Lowell Denton 
• Roboto Food - Eve Warren 
• PrintedGoods 

Meme Gold - 9k

Meme Gold 

Benjamin Craven 10k

Printed Goods 35k 

Chosen Printed Goods:
Printed Goods is a collaborative project between two twin brothers based in Bristol. 

"Founded Printed Goods as a collaborative creative project with the ambition to combine our practice as designers with our passion for high-quality lifestyle products."

"With an intuitive, aesthetically-driven approaches and bold, graphic style, we now design and produce a range of unique printed, clothes and home accessories."

Ethos: "to bring art to the everyday"

"We have collaborated with a number of large brands including Dr Martens, Peroni, Earl of East London and Mr Porter and our designs have been featured in a variety of publications, from It's Nice That to FT Magazine."

Final Presentation:

Time To Get Online Feedback

Learning Objectives: 6C2 6A2

Time To get online general feedback:

• Image quality
• Image Consistency 
• Better Copy 
• descriptions about projects
• Site Structure that's Intuitive 
• continous scroll? 

Individual Feedback:

Elements of work really well, others need a re-think or different approach. The background colour makes everything look seamless and slick. I think the type is complimentary and the overlays are cool. Industry advice GIF is too fast. A navigation tool such as a menu or click to top bottom would aid usability of the site as its a little too long at the moment. 

Self-Promo

Learning Objectives: 6B2, 6A2, 6D2

Instagram:
powerful platform for creative professionals
not primary focus but helpful tool

Task:
Work in groups to identify specialist/ professional who can help
Must email a compelling case as to why the professional would be helpful:

• Visuals 
• Stats 
• Story 

Considerations:

• Who is the person/studio (background) 
• How big is their following?
• What makes their content engaging?
• Does their Instagram win them work?
• What do you think you could learn from them?
• What would you like to ask them?
• Stick to UK if possible 

Formats:

• pdf/deck
• formal presentation rather than just text in an email 

Pitching/Networking

Learning Objectives:
6C2
6D2

Talk about your work effectively:

• communication is essential part of skill set 
• confidence and clarity 
• can add value to average work 
• build it up 
• Most good designers/ those who have achieve a lot are good communicators 

Communication - strategies and advice :

• Pitching 
• elevated pitch - no visuals 
• pitching an idea in under 1 minute, clear and concise 
• sentence:
• what: core idea? whats the project about 
• how: how does it work? fundamental aspects, output 
• why: why it works? concept, purpose, 
• networking:
• hunter.io 
• Submissions:
•  consider 
• audience 

Elevated Pitch: football flag 

• What
• football flag commenting on fan culture based on the atmosphere created by fans.
• Football flag based on fan culture
• How 
• flag uses an article which rated the atmosphere created by fans of teams within the premier league within their home ground. 
• ranks fans based on atmosphere using a 4-4-2 formation 
• Why 
• to encourage more fans to chant at football matches by inciting their natural rivalry they feel against the opposing teams within the league. 
• encourages fans to chant by targeting the rivalry within the premier league. 

Football flag commenting on fan culture which ranks fans based on atmosphere using a 4-4-2 formation to encourage fans to chant by targeting the rivalry within the premier league. 

Simon Sinek - TED TALK:

• brands can tell you:
• what they do 
• can tell you how 
•  Apple disrupts things as they can tell consumers why, started with why-purpose 
• created a USP against the competition 
• creates a consumer culture/ desire / emotional brand connection 
• innovation is key 

Email addresses:

• hunter.io 
• Google- verbatim (use to help verify) 
• best guess - to: 
• second guesses: bcc 
• think carefully about structure, keep it quick (elevator pitch)
• keep it clear and concise - have a clear message - make a request 
• try and elevate to face to face meeting as soon as possible 
• keep it interesting, light and engaging - gif?
• try social media if all else fails - slide into the dms 
• start earlier - time zone relevant 

TASK 1: Getting Online

Learning Objectives: 6C2, 6A2

In order to showcase my work I decided to create a new website that was more unconventional than my existing site that I made during summer (see figure 1). Ready-mag has been used as I like the navigational tools used within some of the examples I found online (see figure 2). In relation to the work I plan on featuring within my portfolio all photos have been taken and rationals written as there used within my other website. However a key consideration when creating my new site was consistency, trying to make different briefs look like a cohesive and consistent body of work despite each outcome being different. This lead to the use of black backgrounds surrounding the imagery as this is how I showcase a lot of work on Instagram, allowing not only for consistency on my website but across my online platforms (see figures 3-4). Although I initially liked Ready-mag I found it difficult to navigate as a completely new page could be created on the free version therefore I decided to create an infinite scroll based site. This allowed me to showcase all my work on one page with a small rational for each (see figures 3-6), giving the impression of a page for project as you can only see one project per scroll. The use of pink and blue create an interesting and engaging contrast which instantly stands out against traditional portfolio sites similar to the one I currently have (see figure 1).  Featuring a quote related to each brief alongside the photos also adds a more playful aspect to the website, giving it an additional unusual element. In order to allow easy contact I've linked both my Instagram and email so viewers can click and be taken directly to an email or my Instagram. 

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Web Clinic

Learning Objectives:
6C2
6D2

Sites to take inspiration from:
Soren Danileson

• soren.works

Is displaying consistency in your work more important than showing everything

• context in more important than consistency 
• swap and change projects depending on what your applying for 
• up to you how much you feature 
• syddharth.com 
• simple about page 
• fabrik (look at) 
• look professional 3 or 6 even number 
• keep in mind how will look on phone as well as desktop 
• josephlebus.co.uk 
• clairekoster.com 
• typography based 
• navigation easy 
• transparent overlay
•  fanqiaowang.com 

Mail to link:

• cmd k
• mailto: email address 

PDF Portfolio

In order to start contacting studios for internships, I've developed a pdf portfolio that matches the aesthetic of my website as I felt a pdf is more likely to get opened as all the information is contained within the one email. I've included a short statement of who I am as a designer/what my focus is in order to communicate more of my approach within the portfolio rather than focusing on the finish outcome. Furthermore I've included short summaries of each brief chosen, explaining the approach and concept behind each outcome. I've finished with my Instagram and email so they can see more if needed on Instagram and also contact me. Ending on my contact information is likely to remind them to reply. 

Task 1: Website/Self-Promo

Learning Objective: 6C2 6D2

Submission Date:

29/11/18 - 15:00 

Task:
Two weeks to get a personal website live

• Portfolio 
• or what suits your practice 
• Behance - doesn't count 
• Be mindful of photos 

Must Have:

• consistent application of personal branding 
• curated selection of your work 
• present your best work 
• doesn't have to include everything you've ever done 
• an engaging bio 
• keep professional, interesting 
• personality, interests
• think about audience and clients 
• Include contact details and socials 
• keep professional 
• All links must function 
• inbound and outbound 
• Give projects context with intriguing copy 
• show process 
• clients, brief, what you wanted to solve 

Web Clinic - Friday 23rd November 

Helpful sites:

• Squarespace 
• Persona.co 
• Cargo Collective 
• Readymag

Visioning and planning: Building your future and managing your time

Learning Objectives: 6A2
Visioning:
'a way to live a life of choice, not chance'

Aim:
a picture of success looks like at a particular point in the future, described with enough richness of detail that you'll know when you've arrived'

Vision should be:

• Inspiring
• Detailed 
• Documented 
• Communicated 
• Little Scary 

'a vision without execution is a hallucination' - Thomas Edison 

if you don't push yourself to go beyond your comfort zone, how will you ever overachieve?
Your vision inspires and informs the actions that bring you closer to your goal

You can break a vision, no matter how big, into smaller, manageable actions and tasks

This morning:
First draft of vision
Rules:

• set your vision five or ten years in future 
• start by writing the date 
• Present tense, where you are at that time 
• Professional and Personal - average day, schedule, work 
• cover everything that defines success to you 

9/11/2018

Its November 2023 and I’m living in New York in my own flat, working within a small studio a few days a week as an art director having previously worked in Liverpool and Manchester. I’m working on a mix of projects some driven by social issues, but other client driven briefs in order bring money into the studio. 

Outside of work I’m undertaking personal projects both freelance and for fun, selling prints, cards online. I’m happy and content with where I am and where I want to be, focused on doing things that I enjoy rather than the things I think I should be doing. I’m earning a sufficient amount to sustain living in New York for the next few years with visits home, trying to save £300 per month to fund trips home/holidays. 

I have a good work life balance, working 8am - 6pm with weekends off exploring the city and doing personal projects. I have enough time for work, socialising and keeping fit with different activities, boxing and gym. I’ve met new people, making more of an effort to socialise to maintain new friendships, going to gigs and trying new places/bars with friends. I’m regularly attending design events within the city to increase my creative network and meet new people. 

Contacting Studios: Fieldwork

I discovered Fieldwork on Instagram as they came up as a suggestion of people to follow whilst I was looking at studios in Manchester. I really liked the work I saw on Instagram so explored their website to find out more about them and their work (see figures 1-4). I felt their studio values made them very approachable due to their focus on improvement and collaboration, making the studio seem more welcoming and friendly than other studios with a more corporate driven approach to their website (see figure 1).  Upon looking at their work I was particularly fond of their brand identity for Voltalab due to the simplicity backed by a strong concept (see figures 2-4). I used this project as a talking point within my email as I wanted to learn more about the project and enquire about work experience (see figure 5). No reply was received which on reflection could be due to the short nature of the email. I wanted to keep the email short and have a clear ask (work experience) however more information about myself, skills and personality could have been added to show the research I had put in. The short nature of the email makes it appear rushed which is something I hadn't considered at the time. Therefore in future I need to elaborate more to show my interest, but referencing certain details rather than just the project name. 

Figure 1

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Figure 4

Figure 5

Contacting Studios: Modern Designers

Modern Designers:
Upon finding modern designers when looking for studios in Manchester via google maps (see figure 1) I turned to their Instagram to see more of their recent work as their website wasn't up-to-date as an update was pending (see figures 2-4). Despite their website not being up-to-date I was interested in their client-focused approach to design, focusing on the client rather than themselves (see figure 5). This was my main incentive to enquire about work experience I think I could learn a lot from this approach. When contacting Modern Designers I referenced recent work not yet published on their website that I found interesting (Nocturne Workshop) (see figure 6). Upon reflection of contacting Modern Designers more research could have been conducted as I sent the email to a general work enquiry which is I think why I didn't receive a response.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Snask - Power of Provocative Branding

Learning Outcomes: 6A2, 6C2

Snask - Studio in Stockholm, Sweden

• Film branding and design
• Make enemies and gain fans - there view on branding, if you don't make enemies you don't have fans 
• Own beer - shower beer, other ventures outside of design 
• Lecturing - gain clients 
• Brand Yourself - don't be afraid to be bold, be as funny as you are
• Two sides to Snask - professional and rock n roll
• Target: 
• wanted to use spanish that are difficult to translate into english 
• wanted to show meaning behind the works 

• Folkoperan - Love at Folkoperan:
• theme: love
• what happens when the curtains close and instruments are left on stage
• stop motion, hung instruments on stage 

• Push Your Ideas:
• Malmo Festival 2014:
• largest city festival in Scandinavia 
• biggest identity, whole physical area - made physical identity/sign
• planning important - set up so light at 12 would be perfect
• Used sign within festival, to create a interactive experience

• Create a Good Quote:
• Don't mix professional and social
• Show something old that works every time 
• Film:
• send to new clients, love to work together 
• celebrate and do something awesome
• the beginning of a life-long romance  

Overall listening to this talk was interesting due to the personality of Snask as a studio, due to there humorous approach to showcasing there work and themselves. They're not afraid to not be liked which goes along with there 'slogan' make enemies and gain fans. There personality is shown within there work as there not afraid to create things that people might not like such as the Folkoperan stop motion. This is something I want to work on when contacting studios for internships as I currently get scared when starting the conversation so play it safe with an email, however there is an opportunity to be more bold when introducing myself so studios learn more about me and remember me for the future.