reflection on interview

After receiving my answer to my question from Dan Everett i spent the week reflecting on them. He made a few interesting comments on what he had learnt at LCA such as "Typography, Kerning, Readability, Legibility, what fonts work well together, illustrator, indesign, photoshop, colour, printing methods, talking to clients, presenting my work, confidence (is this a skill? Ha)" i found this interesting an reflected on it as these are all skills we are taught early on, but i feel like i only use basic knowledge and dont think massively into using them. I intend to now think about these more when designing as i want me skills to be ready for when i leave and not having to catch up. I was a great insight into what designers actually use when they leave uni as most probably dont use skills such as bookbinding and screen printing every day. 

Dan also suggested buying a mock up package as they will have different mockups that most people won't, he said it is a good investment for your portfolio if you aren't good at photography, which I'm not. I have recently started using mock ups for my work and have noticed the difference in the quality of my work as i have again more confidence in it as i can see it looking professional even if the final thing that i made, i.e a book, didn't look very good but the design itself was good. 

I think this interview has been very beneficial to me as i am now reflecting on the skills that i have and have started to consider what i want to improve as well as learn. 

I want to improve :
my use of typography 
my illustrator skills
my communication skills

I want to learn : 
more different printing methods and processes 
better presentation of my work

interview responce

Below is my response from dan everett for my interview 

1.     What were your first steps towards becoming a graphic designer and been employed in the industry?

I did an art foundation diploma at Kendal College for a year. I then studied Graphic Design at Leeds College of Art for three years where I learnt a lot about graphic design as a subject, but also about where I wanted to go personally with my degree. After I left I applied for several jobs. I was taken on by Agency Forty as an intern for three months and they were impressed with my work ethos and efficiency so gave me a full time job, where I am working at this moment in time.

2.     What skills did you get from attending Leeds college of art or your university experience that are beneficial to your practice now?

I pretty much picked up a lot of my knowledge and skill whilst attending LCA. Before attending University, I didn’t really know much about the subject, but I knew it was something that interested me, and I knew it was something I could definitely be passionate about because I’m naturally quite a creative person.

I learnt a lot of skills that I now use in my practice, and I use these skills without even thinking about it, and I'm always developing and getting better.

Typography, Kerning, Readability, Legibility, what fonts work well together, illustrator, indesign, photoshop, colour, printing methods, talking to clients, presenting my work, confidence (is this a skill? Ha)

Basically a lot of what I learnt I use everyday!

3.     Where are you currently working and what does the job entail?

Im currently working at Agency Forty as a junior designer (although I'm only 1 of 2 designers).

My job entails; working on the briefs that come into the agency, so design work; websites branding, emails, stationary, talking to clients, presenting my work, talking to the printers, strategic planning, social media, working on the back end of website in the CMS, art working. But then the agency also do a lot of exhibitions so I’ve designed quite a few exhibition stands and worked on them as well which is always a good confidence & experience builder.

4.     What is your personal style of work and your influences?

Personally I work to a very modernist style and I’m heavily influenced by people like Mark Bloom and Anthony Burrel. But I don’t let that limit my capabilities and I like to experiment with lots of different styles when I can. Unfortunately, when working in an agency, unless the client gives you free rain, a lot of the time you are designing what the client wants and not what you necessarily like. That’s why I do a lot of my own work at home so I can practice my own style.

5.     What was successful in getting you where you are now? (was it from knowing people, emailing around, was it just looking online etc.)

I think I was quite lucky because I was able to get a job quite quickly after getting out of university! But I definitely recommend applying to everywhere. Whether or not you want to work there or not, apply for the job. Interviews do so much for your confidence but they also give you an insight into how other agency’s work and what people in the industry are like! I remember being so intimidated by going to studios, but you learn to get over that and start to enjoy visits.

6.     Do you have any advice to anybody leaving Uni now that would benefit them?

Just contact as many places as possible! Talk to people and ask questions. Be honest, be yourself and if you don’t know an answer tell them you don’t know and seem interested when given an answer. I’d also say when it comes to your portfolio, unless you are really good with a camera, either mock up your work or get a professional photographer/photography student to take pictures for you. My portfolio lacked style because I took pictures of my own work and it looked shit! Spend a bit of money on some quality mockups that other people don’t have. A lot of people use the free mockups which everyone has. You can spend like £50 (a lot but well worth it) on a HUGE mock up package and get loads of really good mock ups that no one has and make your work look a bit different or if not different look a lot more professional.

7.     Finally what's next for you and your practice?

I am going to carry on working at Agency Forty for the next few months and then I’m going to think about moving on. I don’t want to stay in the same place too long because I want to experience what other agency work like. I’d love to gain ten years experience and then set up my own little studio.

HISTORY REPEATING: 90 YEARS IN PRINT

The exhibition is an exhibition history of print was put on by first year students on the BA Graphic Arts and Design course at Leeds Beckett University. The idea of the exhibition was too look through a veritable time machine of history as their printed art takes you on a journey through the twentieth century. With screen and risograph print, they had highlighted nearly 90 years of the 19th centry, each with there own clear artistic voices, in creative and personal ways to create an atmosphere of nostalgia and curiosity. In all, I thought it was a bright, vibrant and interesting view at an alternative visual history of the last century. At the event the First Years were also selling cheap prints. This was of value to the 505 design practice project as it was a great view to look all a range different print style and techniques that i could use to create my print.

Presentation

Above is the presentation slides for my presentation that reflects on your experience & response to the PPP. 

In my presentation i spoke about how certain project i undertook in responsive allowed me to develop skills that i set out to develop at the start of the year. I also spoke about my trip to manchester to visit galleries which made me see mantises in a different light, as i had only ever considered working and living in leeds and the visit opened my options to manchester as well. I talked about how my practice isn't refined and that i do not specialise in one part of graphic design and have yet not identified if i do, but that i consider myself as a general graphic designer that can do a range of different things. I am now also open to putting my work out there on different sites as previously i was too scared to use behance and limited myself to Instagram as i felt comfortable posting my work on there as you got a quick response on your work and could easily see what people thought. 
In the summer i plan on working on my practice to either strengthen my skills or refine them and find what i would like to specialise in. For the future i am still unsure on where it will take me but i am now open to more places after my experiences this year.

The feed back from my presentation was positive and supportive of not knowing what i am just yet.

Interviewing professionals and reflection

Currently, i am still waiting for a reply from archaeology as they are very busy because i am unsure when i will get an answer i think it is best if i also get in contact with someone else as well.

At the moment i am very unsure about my future and what attending uni will get me other than a diploma in the end, I am curious of where my degree will take me and I think it would be beneficial for me to speak to a previous student of Leeds college of art and find out about their journey and what skills they got from uni that they use every day in their job. This will help me prepare for the future as well as giving me time to reflect on their answers and their relevance to me.

I was curious about the student work in the corridor(the large college of red silhouettes) and got speaking to someone about it, they told me that a previous student called Dan Everett made the work and that i should get in contact with him, and they gave me his email address.
A few emails later i asked if i could ask him a few questions about him nad his experience and he agreed.

I am now waiting for a response with the answers.

manchester design studios

After reconsidering my future location and being open to manchester i decided that i would look into studios and designs that are manchester based.

Studio north
Nine sixty
rust studio
Dr. Me
Vibe studio
fuse studio

These are just a select few studios that i looked at which are manchester based. I have followed a few on social media and intended to keep on eye out on their work as well as exhibition and shows that they are doing. By doing this it will expand my design knowledge and also possibly gaining new influences while knowing what is going on in the manchester design scene.

Manchester visit

places visited : 

manchester art gallery 

the Richard Goodall gallery

CFCCA

Generation gallery

In my trip to manchester i visited a selection of galleries as well as walking round the city looking for interesting typography and imagery (images above). While there for the day i really experienced the atmosphere of the city and almost felt at home. previously i had not considered living or working anywhere but that day made me really reconsider restricting myself just to leeds. Although it is further away from home and leeds it has just as much to offer as well as still being able to travel home with ease. The trip really opened my eyes and made me reconsider a lot of things.