Industry Insights

I recently attended a lecture on Industry Insights. 4 speakers from different companies and industries came to give advice and talk from experience.

Tim Jones – Ignition Strategic Design

I found this speaker the least beneficial, probably because he was speaking less about design and more about creating a business which doesn’t necessarily interest me but none the less was interesting to listen to. He was speaking about account management and the importance of good relationships with clients. His top tips were:

Think Commercially. 

Engage with words.

Be bothered. Be passionate. Go the extra mile.

Rich Milton – Brand in a box.

Brand in a box is a company specialising in branded packaged goods and marketing. He explained that the sandwich market in England alone for 2012 was 3.5 billion. The company uses design to help promote products to larger organisations and companies. He explained how important the appearance of a product is and how the design of something can make all the difference to it’s sales. There is so much high street competition so it’s important to be really passionate about what you’re designing and co-operate clearly with clients.

Sam Dyer – The House 

The house is a brand agency that builds businesses and helps create a brand identity. The company has worked on several well known designs such as the Mission Burrito logo and branding for Magpie and Bear. His top tips were:

It’s all about you and your work.

Call people, be personal and communicative.

Keep your portfolio short and sweet. Start and finish with your favourite projects.

Cover different disciplines.

Have a plan. Always have a plan.

Bob Abbott – Future

Future is a specialist magazine company based in Bath, London and San Francisco. There are 50 million readers, 45 magazines sold every minute, 228 videos watched every minute and 3 million apps downloaded in 2012. Safe to say this is so far a very successful design company. He explained that design is all about creative thinking and development. Design is like a garden shed. You can’t just put it up any old place without instructions or a plan. It takes time, motivation and planning. All good things take time. His top tips were:

Be self critical, there are 20 solutions to every problem and nothing has right or wrongs.

Know when you’re creative and use it to your advantage.

Design is important. Without it the world is boring.

Successful design is fit for purpose.

Afterwards there was a chance for some Q&A with the designers. These are a few more tips that came into conversation:

Get yourself out there. Be keen. Be enthusiastic. 

Pitch yourself the way you would want to see yourself.

Use design as a a career and not a hobbie.

Network all the time. Get to know people, let them get to know you.

Be direct, ask people to recommend you. 

Be confident in yourself. 

This was a useful experience and I think I learnt a lot from this about design as a career and how to go about getting there.

Artist Research – Yeji Yun

Yeji Yun

Yeji Yun is an illustrator that I discovered whilst reading ‘A Graphic Cosmogony’ – a graphic novel published by Nobrow Press that I brought at the Pick me up exhibition. Her work is very unique and I decided to have a look and she what else she has produced. She has several publications, but most interestingly has been involved in a lot of commersial work. Projects include;

Publicity posters for the Jarasum International Jazz festival, Various festival posters, Venus kitchen logo, ‘The River is always right’ book design, publicity poster for Pastel Music label.

It was really interesting seeing how many projects she’s involved in and all the different styles of work that she produces.

 

After discovering Yeji Yun through Nobrow press, I went to Bristol to Here Gallery to look for some other Nobrow publications. I found ‘The Rise and Fall’ by Micah Lidberg. It’s a really creative concertina book containing only images. I then discovered that Micah Lidberg has previously worked for the New York Times, Nike, United magazine and Computer arts. He describes his main influences as nature – every bit of it.

 

 

Keith Hancocks and Mytton Williams

5×5

Mytton Williams is a design company situated in Bath. Keith Hancocks graduated 5 years ago and since has been designing and creating for the company. Some of their projects include National Trust, Waitrose, Clarks and the Thermae Bath Spa. They have also worked with Bath Spa university on the newspaper prospectus.

5 useful things all designers should know;

1) Listen to Antony Burrel. ‘Work hard and be nice to people’

2) Do a work placement. 

3) Get involved and collaborate

4) Build good relationships. Be friendly and flexible and remember that flattery will get you everywhere.

5) There’s always more than one solution, turn of the computer, go for a walk and be inspired.

It was really interesting listening to advice from someone who’s been in a similar position to what we’re going to be in next year. His last point I found particularly inspiring, as a designer everyone gets to a point where they think they’ve reached a conclusion to their design, but there’s always other solutions. I think this is really important to remember. 

Be influenced by art, films, books, architecture and nature. There’s so much to be explored – take a sketchbook and a camera with you everywhere you go and do more.

 

 

 

Logo design

I have designed a logo to include on all of my online sites, business cards and also on the back of works. I have decided to keep it quite simple and have just used my initials. They are written in a font that I created using my handwriting. I then scanned in a piece of canvas to show the handmade element towards my work and then hand drew a frame to accompany this. Later I added the watercolour bee. I know it’s a bit cliche, but it has always been my identity and I think it fits in quite nicely.