STUDY TASK 10// PPP End Of Year Presintation

Creative CV

Bit more work has to be done before I send this off anywhere but it is a good concept for now, with strong like to identity and brand of myself. I've taken inspiration from the Effektive mailer but haven't gone all the way with this yet. 

LIFE'S A PITCH// Links to Logo Work on DP Blog

Not long to go and I've realised all my life's a pitch work is on the work blog: Here are some Links to the Logo Development work:

http://l-rossiter1114-dp.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/lifes-pitch-overout-e-flyer.html


http://l-rossiter1114-dp.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/lifes-pitch-overout-logo-design-2.html

http://l-rossiter1114-dp.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/lifes-pitch-overout-logo-design.html

On another note I wasn't able to attend the Pitch presentation, so this was not documented here.

Personal Website

lukerossiter.co.uk

My website is now up a running at the address above. This is great news because it means I can start sending it off to studios. I designed the things so that the logo and information stays fixed on the page. When the user scrolls the content moves and this all sits in dwusers easy slider, a great program that edits itself into the html with some jquery code. This means the whole site can be put on one page in a manageable way. I'm really pleased with the way this site has turned out, its simple, the information is all there on the main page and the contact details and branding are all at the front. Hopefully when creatives view the page they will be able to ingest a large amount of the content without getting bogged down because of these design decisions.

STUDY TASK 8// What is a Creative CV?

Effective:
South Block Studio 107
60 Osbourne Street Glasgow G1 5QH
Telephone +44 (0)141 271 4721
studio@effektivedesign.co.uk

Espen Hansen:
mail@esphansen.com
Vollenlia 110B 1390 Vollen, Asker, Akershus, Norway

Passport:
+44 (0) 7850 981 901 
Studio 5, Duke Studios,
1st Floor,
Munro House,
Duke Street ,
Leeds, LS9 8AG 

Two Times Elliott:

Studio 112
Great Western Studios
65 Alfred Road
London W2 5EU

Info@2xElliott.co.uk
+44 (0) 20 3214 3133

Edenspiekermann:

edenspiekermann_

Barentszplein 7 II

1013 NJ Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Tel.: +31 20 550 6300

Fax: +31 20 550 6399

info@nl.edenspiekermann.com

Uniform

Third Floor,
Link 19,
9-19 Bold Street,
Liverpool,
L1 4DN
+44 151 709 9055  

OAT: 
248 Beacon Street
Somerville, MA 02143 
617 800 2636  
Rory@oatcreative.com
Jen@oatcreative.com  

Studio Output: 

Studio Output / London
Unit 4, The Piano Works
117 Farringdon Road

London EC1R 3BX
+44(0)20 7239 9270
london@studio-output.com

Why Not Associates:
why not associates limited
22c shepherdess walk
London N1 7LB
united kingdom
t +44 (0)20 7253 2244
f +44 (0)20 7253 2299
info@whynotassociates.com

Futurebrand:
2 Waterhouse Square
140, Holborn,
London EC1N 2AE
United Kingdom
P. 44 207 067 0010  

STUDY TASK 7// Samples Of Work

Effektive:

"We designed these two colour litho self promotional mailer/resumés for approaching Sydney based agencies at the end of 2008. The idea was to create a promotional piece which would have impact and showcase work examples and information as well as become a physical example of work in itself. The response to these was excellent and resulted in a variety of interviews at some of Sydney's top agencies."

Strengths: Bold Imagery, shows a range of work in a simple but effective way, not too large to need to throw away to save space, not too small to throw away because its worthless. 

Weakness: Begining to look dated due to the number of people who have copies this idea.

Opportunities: Designed to express themselves as a creative team. Worked well and resulted in a number of opportunities. 

Threats: Threat of the mailer looking dated by the time it has been copied to death and loosing relevance.

Espen Hansen:
"I believe that the key to optimize a marketing strategy is to use visual communication to reach the right target audience."
Strength: Bold focus on target audience. Throws out trendy design for hitting target.

Weakness: Not a modern looking design that other designers may find a bit out of date.

Opportunities:Clear that the branding is for tough sportswear, other likeminded clothes manufaturies may get in contact. Possibility that disregarding trends will lead to timeless design.

Threats: That this style will look ever-more dated in a few years time and the branding will need to be updated.

 
Passport:
As the name Passport suggests, travel is a large source of inspiration for us. Where you are born; where you grow up; where you study; where you work; where you visit affects everything from choice of colour to application of type – and we like that. Our branded stationery needed to reflect all of these interests. We wanted it to feel classic but contemporary, formal yet approachable, whilst taking care to present a close attention to detail that we pride our work on. The printed collateral includes personal photography collected from our travels to add a strong, individual element to the identity.
 
Strengths: Bold and up to date design style with a solid use of colour and attention to detail. Appreciation of simple design means that the aesthetic is unlikely to look bad in the future.

Weakness: Everyone is doing this sort of photography now. Branding only applied to small everyday items.

Opportunities: Strong personal visual identity reflects well on aspirations and for clients.


Threats: Being a small studio will require a lot of work to get noticed.

Two Times Elliott:
"A refresh of our corporate stationery, identity and website. The idea was to create an understated, simple and tactile set using a combination of GFSmith papers, foils and embossed details."



Strengths: Again a simple idea with bold design. Solid use of colour and concept.

Weaknesses: Probably not the aim but a lot of clients may not see the beauty in the style. Will probably look bad in a decade, so they will probably refresh their visual identity again.

Opportunities: Croporate stationary reflects well on the practice as a whole.

Threats: Again they will probably have to refresh their design styles again after a while.

Edenspiekermann:
"TCHO – that's highest quality fair trade chocolate manufactured using the most modern technology in a gigantic warehouse in the San Francisco docks. The challenge for Edenspiekermann is to give this gourmet's experience a face. The possibilities are endless, as TCHO is still in the starting blocks." 

Strengths: Strong link to brand identity and a real sense that the clients needs were met. Expensive and finished well.

Weaknesses: Some of the patterns look like a kaleidoscope. Perhaps also the foiling is over the top in my opinion. 



Opportunities: Interesting to see a cutting edge design studio take on something old and established like chocolate. 



Threats: Applying this sort of design to an item with an established visual identity may backfire. I also thing that the whole thing could took a bit 70's what with all the browns and orange in a few years time.

Uniform: 
"Abandon Normal Devices (AND) is a major regional festival of new cinema and digital culture already in its second year and is driven by an exciting new partnership between three of the UK’s leading art and culture institutions. Cornerhouse in Manchester, FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) in Liverpool and Folly in Lancaster have joined forces to collaborate on the exciting task of creating a new festival from scratch."


Strengths: Use of visual puns and satire are a strong way to convey a message in an intelligent way. 

Weaknesses:

Opportunities: Being part of a startup festival is probably a great experience, and provides the designers will an interesting creative challenge. 

Threats: Looks like a protest logo.
 

 
 OAT:
"With a "naughty child" and a face full of noodles, we knew we would have some fun helping this British-based restaurant group transition to the us market, by expanding their brand through illustration and design for onsite collateral, apparel and advertising."

Strengths: Plays to the consumer and market well. Strong use of application of design.

Weaknesses: Some illustrations and overcomplicated colour pallet are a weak choice in my opinion. 
 
Opportunities: To help a British brand work internationally. Will bring fame and monies.

Threats: That the branding does not go far enough to capture the imagination.
 

Studio Output:
The BBC Concert Orchestra hosts an eclectic array of concerts and produces bespoke promotional material relevant to each event. 2012 saw two concerts exploring extreme emotional states, under the names 'Exstatica' and 'H7steria'. We created a unique look & feel to promote each event, reflecting both the themes addressed in the music and the emotions felt by the audience.

Strengths: High level of visual imagery and interesting use of  bold colour and layout.

Weakness: None.

Opportunities: To be involved in an unusual form of music and contribute to a cultural experience.

Threats: None

 

Why Not Associates:
"Corporate identity for xtreme information’s media resource service showcasing commercials and promos."

Strengths: Simple identity will a great example of application that really shows off its diversity. Easily reproducible.

Weakness: None.

Opportunities: Level of refinement is beyond a lot of other identity examples here. 

Threats: None. 

Futurebrand:
We are proud to work with some of the largest, most dynamic and future-focused companies in the world to create future brands.


Strengths: Have experience in re branding airlines. Simple logo with patriotic imagery.

Weakness: Like the old logo could look out of data in a few decades time.

Opportunities: Expand reputation for good airlines re-brand.

Threats: See weaknesses.

Business Cards

Business cards were a simple choice for me, I had them printed on heavy recycled card, which are uncoated and great to be drawn on. This means notes can be made before I hand them over. The logo I designed is a simple mash-up of my initials. I ended up printing 8 versions so I had a choice of cards and to also see which ones came out best.

STUDY TASK 6// What Do They Do?

Based on the principles that have been introduced inthe PPP2 sessions so far and your responses to the previous tasks, evaluate the Strengths and Weaknesses of three practitioners or design agencies as objectively as you can. You should aim to identify a large, medium and small company from a sector or service that reflects your interests within the creative industries.

What opportunities for your own practice have revealed themselves to you as a result of this research, analysis and evaluation?

Do not use subjective language or make unfounded comments about other people’s businesses. It is essential that you make references to SWOT and PEST analysis and evaluate their usefulness as an analysis or evaluation tool.

In responding to this task you will need to consider the following questions:

Who am I competing against?

What do they offer?

What makes me better?

What makes me different?

 

Large:

Fantasy Interactive. 

 Strengths:
-Large company means they have a large number of resources and money.
-Large workforce can get behind project.
-Can take on huge clients without too much fuss.
-Have the money and technology to do what they like.

Weaknesses:
-Large companies are harder to run and finance.
-More staff to worry about and individual staff can feel cut off.
-Miss opportunities of finding jobs in niche markets.
-Have to stick to established design principles, cant design to risky which could but back on innovation.
-Job could be insignificant part to overall project, managed from the top down.

Opportunities:
-Large size means a large number of employees which means that jobs are more specific, designers design and accountants look after accounts.
-Attract large jobs and world leading clients in a range of disciplines and industries. 

Threats:
-Large size means that true innovation is harder to push through, often great ideas come from the small studios and larger ones then bring it into mass culture. Have to work hard to keep up with trendsetters.

 

 Medium:

Numiko.

Strengths:
-Mixed range of work.
-Flexible to work on large or small projects.
-Have the right size to lead with cutting edge ideas and the money and infrastructure to back them up.
-Can draw in big clients.
-Enough people to have a range of disciplines and skills.
-Have a more personal approach towards clients.

Weaknesses:
-Size allows them to focus on one discipline. (web design).
-May not be able to handle huge projects and long term contracts.
-Competition is more heavy at this level.

Opportunities:
-Team is just the right size to balance a friendly work environment with a good range of skills and knowledge.
-Draw in large and small clients with a wide range of jobs.

Threats:
-Need to remain ahead of the game to challenge competition.
-Could find it hard to sustain long client relationships with larger companies that requires more infrastructure.

 

Small:

Catalogue.

 Strengths:
-Strong focus on a well established style.
-Can afford to do experimental design without major repercussions.
-Small studio means that the work environment is friendly.
-Very low costs to run studio.

Weaknesses:
-Low costs does not mean low overheads.
-If niether designer knows how to do something they will have to train.
-Can to heavily effected by economy.
-May have to rely on close contacts and could loose out on larger clients.

Opportunities:
-Very close relationship with client. Talking is easy and contact is directly with designer.
-Local clients will be easy to find.
-Part of a community and culture that is hard to find in larger studios. 

Threats:
-Lots of competition from many other studios and graduates.
-May have to re-imagine the style they have built if it goes out of fashion.  

STUDY TASK 5// Who Are They?

Task

Based on the principles that have been introduced so far in the PPP2 module, investigate who you are as a creative in relation to who is out there looking for creative talent.

Write a list of all the possible client groups that use graphic design in the development, production, distribution, promotion and/or communication of their products or services. Identify one client group that reflects your current ambitions within the graphic design area (music industry, retail, publishing, education etc.) and focus on identifying:-

• What skills / interests you have and how they relate to the needs of your client group?
• What skills are needed and what skills do you want to develop?
• What are your professional/creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the client group?

It is essential that you make references to the ʻ4 Psʼ from the PPP2 Presentation. This is an exercise in applying that theory – it is not appropriate to write about the theory itself. Demonstrate your understanding of it by actually using it.

There are a huge number of client groups that use graphic design, more-so in the tertiary and quaternary sectors than the primary and secondary, as these are the sectors that deal with public image and need a strong identity to get ahead. Client groups in these sectors include:
-Retail
-Telecomms
-Toursim
-Mass Media
-Television
-Games Industry
-Film Industry
-Music Industry
-Healthcare
-Banking
-Public information
-Educational
-Legal Services
-Science
-Space Exploration

A client group I am particularly interested falls within mass media, either film or the games industry. I am also interested in science and space exploration.

 What skills / interests do you have and how do they relate to the needs of your client group?
 I am an avid gamer, have an extensive general knowledge about computer gaming and the industry and I have also written for a gaming magazine in the past (although very briefly). Although it is common for people so say they are into computer games, I feel that I have a more in depth knowledge because I take the industry seriously, run a high-end gaming pc, and keep up to date with major releases as well as the development of very small indie titles. Another advantage I would have is a knowledge of terminology and the popular culture of the games industry which would be confusing and near-impossible to understand for an outsider. In terms of science and space I have developed a growing interest over the last few years, from reading science magazines like Focus and generally being awed by anything to do with space (and rockets). From reading and researching I have a good knowledge about why space is important and general developments in the world of science as a basic level that I believe puts me at an advantage over other designers when it comes to designing for the industry. What I am trying to say for both the games and science industries is that I understand the product better because of my personal interest and knowledge on the subjects, I understand how they market and retail themselves and have general ideas of how the industries work. For example I understand the development process for a games title, from a concept to development to release, partly from following games I am interested in through these stages and partly from being involved in alpha and beta testing a game itself. 

 What skills are needed and what skills do you want to develop?
 Skills that are needed are wide ranging and sometimes very unique to the industry. For example in the games industry it would be average to be skilled at photoshop, illustrator and indesign as a graphic designer however to really push yourself and stand out it would be beneficial to have a degree of knowledge in game specific software, perhaps even advanced coding. This is something a person would never really understand unless they had been working in industry for a long time, or had vast amounts of time to learn the software, which I don't have. Still it would be great to improve my HTML and CSS skills, these can never go wrong.
I will also need to develop skills in communicating with the groups discussed, obviously the tone of voice I use to approach the different studios would have to be thought about, although I can write a good letter, I have no idea how to gauge a level of professionalism.
A knowledge of the studios products, the value and quality of its products and how they promote and distribute said products is essential to understanding the needs of clients, so learning these things about the studios would be essential before heading out to contact them.

What are your professional/creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the client group?
My professional and creative aim is to change the identity of the games industry in the world of mass media. It would be great to see indie games titles looked at with the same level of artistic merit as indie film titles, or small upcoming bands. The industry is underrepresented, and has been seen as a fringe culture for a long time. More recently parts of the games industry has changed its image massively and is accepted by more facets of popular culture, although it still lags behind in terms of cultural clout, I would like to be part of a movement of designers changing the way we see games, from a piece of repetitive mass media to a more important part of our culture. This specifies my client group down to smaller developers, creating more interesting and unique games, not large publishers like EA. Saying that, a large company like Rockstar, which has a great amount of artistic integrity is an organisation I would be very interested in being part of. I think my aim to change the way games are thought of as a part of culture would be beneficial to these sort of titles.

JOHN WATTERS PPP2// Task 2

Areas of Practice:
- Video Games industry. Working online for a games magazine or publishing company, in product packaging design or in game; either user interfaces or game worlds.
- Web design for more reputable news outlets, designing a modern delivery of news in info graphics imagery and a clean layout for the article, interactive stories, maps and graphs.
- Social or political artwork. For example helping private eye enter the 21st century with better design in both print and web without loosing its magic.

3 Strengths:
- Layouts, I think that I understand the hierarchy of type and image well. As well as the rules of a grid.
- I am very computer literate; meaning I know how to use computers very well, can pick up most software very quickly and now I understand the principles to coding.
- I can do good presentations. Not always a strength, this last year and a bit I've really found its something I can do well. I have lost many of my old inhibitions in public speaking and put effort into delivering something a bit different.

3 Weaknesses:
- A lack of desire to document my work. This is a real drain on my work, mainly because it gives the impression im not producing anything. I do generally complete blog tasks and do document work for final crits but often its a week after it was set.
- After working on something for a long time I loose a level of enthusiasm for the work, I can get too self critical.
-

3 Goals For the Year:
- Make my own business cards.
- Make my own website.
- Print a book on a risograph.
- Use a 3D printer to make some amazing 3D graphics toys or a modified print press.

3 Wishes
- That the college had a riso printer.
- That the good screen printing facilities were up here, not down the road. (I mean that I didn't have to carry fresh prints back in the rain.)
- That I could control time and space.
- That college had a 3D printer.

STUDY TASK 3// Industry Experience Seminar

Fred held a seminar which introduced us to the principles of industry experience, We discussed the benefits of experience as well as how we could go about getting getting it, and worries we may have and essentially what it consists of. We produced the following lists:

What is Industrial experience?
Being Involved with a studio
Seeing Designers in a professional workspace
Understanding of studio hierachy
Seeing your own practice in context
Applying and building knowledge
Putting the proverbial foot in the perverbial door
Getting advice
Becoming more aware of how professinal relationships are formed and maintained
Developing an understanding of limitations
Working on Live Briefs

  
What can you learn from industrial experience?
Learn about payment and payment processes
Costing and expenses
Management skills and responsibilities
More professional studio etiquette
How to work together and respond to briefs as a team


What form/format could industrial experience take?
-Visiting a studio to have a look around, talk to the designers and management.
-Paid placement, where you become part of the team for a short period of time, and get paid for you troubles
-Unpaid experience, where you have the opportunity to experience live briefs within a studio, however you will be unpaid.
- Working on competition briefs, I suppose that working on live competition briefs will give you similar real world design challenges. Experience will come from overcoming these
- Experience will also come from simply approaching studios in the first place, pitching yourself and having interviews with them, making phone calls with people in industry.
 

What areas of industry are you interested in?
-Games industry, I am interested in working with the games industry either in the publication and real world advertisement of games or the in game application of graphic design in game-world environments or user interfaces.

 

-Web design, for publication and editorials, displaying larger amounts of text, pictures and information as well as the opportunity to design information graphics to accompany articles, for display on the internet. 

- Brand Identity, creating a brand identity, working in the black-art of advertisement. I'm interested in how people think, and how you can make money out of them. I also like the aspect of growing a new brand from scratch and creating a market for something new, inventions, products, people. 

-I would like to be involved with the production of an app for the IOS or android market, designing user interface, branding and advertisement, as well as visual styles of the app itself be it in layout, character design, illustration or delivery of text and image. 

-Social or Political design or artwork. Something which has slipped down my interests in the last year but something I have received positive feedback for in the past from designers and tutors I respect. Although this may contradict with some of my other interests for some people, I only express interest in many of these issues and find that the art of social and political commentary is not to express your own views but to deliver the facts of a situation without being forceful or arrogant, by being satirical and not belligerent.

What are your concerns about industrial experience?
- That I will be too inexperienced for my industrial experience.
- Going to work in a place which is wrong for me, or reciveing the wrong sort of experience.
- Being taken advantage of, large amounts of work for no money or being made to make coffee.
- Not getting a good range of work.
- Messing up contacts, making a bad name for myself.