Design Stratergy File

Design Strategy File

Personal Branding In Use Links

Website The Dots ProďŹ le

Manifesto

 

I am a graphic designer with a great interest into branding and visual identity, using a mix of modern and traditional styles in a sophisticated and elegant way to bring to life visual depictions of a brief. I create modern and simplistic outcomes with large impact through the use of highly considered colour and typographic influences. Clean, bright and bold design is that the key influence of my practice, taking into consideration the emotive impact of design within an audience.

Research highly inspires my design process and decisions in order to ensure that a brief is not simply met but the expectations are exceeded. Taking into account the audience’s lifestyle choices and familiar visual identity, which is evident within an outcome, ensuring that I'm not only designing for the client but the opportunity of the brief to grow beyond its initial anticipations. 


As a designer, I will continue to progress on personal projects that enable me to engage with issues that are close to my heart. Whilst beginning my career in the design focused environment of the retail industry, working for one of the largest UK retail groups. I will be pushing myself to be able to progress in areas that are new in design and progress on the way that design is viewed and created. I'll be looking into opportunities such as Adobe certification, to be able to showcase my skills and continue to better myself as a designer throughout my career.

Professional Correspondence

 

Objecktiv E-Mail

Reply

Due to the fact that I have slightly more success through calling the previous agency I decided to also ring up objecktiv as it was quite a small agency was able to actually speak to one of the directors. On the phone explained that they didn't really do work experience placements but liked the sound of my portfolio and therefore as me to send out my portfolio with the CV as can be seen above.

I did get a reply although I was declined from the opportunity of an internship partially because of the commitments outside the studio they would not be that actually guide me with my work.

Foundry Studio E-Mail

Reply

Once again I attempted to use a point of difference to make myself stand out, the studio I was contacting specialised in design for retail industry purposes, something which I have a lot of experience in and thought would make me stand in out in terms of having a great knowledge of both ends of the industry of his business.

I began the e-mail with hey neighbour due to the fact that my partner lives on the same road as the studio in London, therefore I thought this would also highlight the email as something different. Unfortunately, I did not receive a reply, and I followed up the e-mail with a phone call, to which the senior director abruptly answered and told me he had seen the e-mail and would get back to me if he had a chance. This put me off instantly due to the fact that he was rude in his mannerisms with the way he was speaking to me on the phone, and also hung up at the end, making me question whether or not I even wanted to continue talking with the studio.

Magpie Studio E-Mail

  Reply

Magpie studio was the one which I was most nervous about contacting due to the fact that it was the largest studio and also the most famous out of all of the ones I reached out to. Therefore, I decided to title the tighter the subject as if I was just saying hello, and then follow want actually as replacement directly. The email was actually replied to telling me that they did not have any opportunity at the moment but really enjoyed some of the recent work I had done, and therefore would keep my portfolio on file in case anything crops up.

We Are Impression E-Mail

Reply

As I was entering my third and final year at Leeds Arts University, I wanted to begin to find my place in the industry, so I went on a mission to find a successful agency to get a taste of agency life.

Impression gave me the opportunity to do just this. Unlike other internships and experience, you may find at this level, I was taken into the agency on an equal level, allowing me to truly see the industry I am about to enter. Across two weeks I worked on a plethora of briefs that gave me an insight into design for the print, web. I worked on everything from wireframe planning, to rolling out an advertising campaign to completion, from planning stages. As part of working on these briefs, I was included in the communications with clients, allowing me to see how to overcome any obstacles with clients; including being invited to client meetings. The experience didn’t only expand my skills as a designer but opened my eyes to how an agency can run successfully in a productive environment.

The process of working at Impression is massively based on collaboration, it's made me more professional and given me the sense of direction I will continue aim towards.

It was so beneficial to be able to work closely with strategists, planners, designers, developers on a face to face level, through the process of each brief. This gave me the confidence to be able to approach others in the industry to work with them and unlock the potential of my design work and give the client the best outcome possible.

I most enjoyed the close-knit sense of working alongside others in the agency, it showed me that agency life doesn’t need to be boring, quite the opposite! You can work at the top of your game, working in a fun environment that enhances the whole experience.

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience than my time at Impression, it led to a massive boost in confidence in my own work, as well as some freelance work; working on some projects I started at Impression. Impression has let me walk into my third year with the drive and ambition to become part of the industry in a place that I feel as productive and happy as I did at Impression.

Experience Write Up Links:

We Are Impression

Agency Forty

Pursuing a Job:

Job Applications

Job Offer

Industry Contacts

 

Industry Contacts Name

Job Role

Business

Phone Number

E-Mail Adress

Aimee Cutino

Marketing Manager

We are Impression

01423313237

aimee@weareimpression.co.uk

Cassie Brock

Designer

Magpie Studio

02070929036

cassie@magpie-studio.com

Charlie Hartley

Director

We are Impression

01423313237

charlie@weareimpression.co.uk

Dan Everitt

Designer

Agency Forty

0845 519 8540

dan@agencyforty.com

Emily Lodge

Designer

Agency Forty

0845 519 8540

emily@agencyforty.com

James Thomas

CEO

Agency Forty

0845 519 8540

james@agencyforty.com

Kieran Delany

Art Director

McCann Health

kieran.delany@mccann.com

Louis Saville

Senior Designer

We are Impression

louis@weareimpression.co.uk

Lucille Sutherland

Designer

Agency Deep

Thea Cooper

Studio Manager

Arcadia

02075930555

lucille@deep.co.uk Thea.Cooper@burton.co.uk

1

Skills Evaluation

 

I decided to reflect on my skill set and the way it has developed over the year. A belief I already had a strength within print design, in particular, publication design and editorial. This year I've expanded on that through using extended practice briefs to be able to highlight areas of strength and weakness within publication and print design.

By working on live briefs, some independently and some collaboratively, I've been able to tackle my weaknesses within this field head-on to ensure that the skull is improved.

I believe my coherence within being confident using Illustrator has vastly improved over the year. Due to the amount I use the program I've been able to gain my own techniques in terms of the way that my own workspace is set up, in the program for me. Allowing me to get me a strategic process and therefore improve my work ethic when using the program. Once again, I made sure to use the program as much as possible within my extended practice briefs as well as any other briefs outside of University in order to be able to improve my skill set.

In terms of idea generation and sharing, I have been confident with coming up with creative ideas, this year through the sheer number of collaborative projects I've become a part of this is improved, which has allowed me to improve the way in which I combine these ideas. Ensuring that I pitch an idea in the best possible lighting get through the way in which I can creatively contribute towards a brief, this has been due to helpful sessions in which techniques such as the elevator technique has been taken and expanded on, in order to use in my practice.

This year I have developed a greater understanding of the need for feedback, due to the way that creative concepts are so subjective feedback only allows for expansion on the way that an idea can approach a brief, none of which is negative only constructive.

I have identified weaknesses within animation within my practice, over the year I've decided to collaborate with animators in order to be able to improve this practice.

Through collaboration I have observed certain processes on which I can build to be up to get a greater understanding of the animation process, this is also helping me understand the way in which work must be formatted to be able to work with animators. I've also decided to teach myself cinema 4D, allowing myself to develop skills in areas that are developing the way that design is moving towards.

Over the year my time management has highly improved due to the vast number of projects I've completed, in line with searching for a job, attending interviews, completing freelance work, and ensuring that my health is kept on top of. Through doing so I've been able to gain a new sense of confidence in managing my time correctly and therefore knowing how to assign priorities towards certain tasks. This is been through the use of self-investigation into what works and doesn't, and also the use of certain tools such as todoist to improve my time management methods.

Over the coming year, I am set to start my new job within the design industry this will allow me to build on professional experience that I have already completed over this year as well as expand on a true professional stance in design. This new opportunity also gives me the chance to develop in areas of design that the business supports, such as aiming towards becoming Adobe certified to further my career. I will also be attending design events such as the D&AD festival in order to keep up-to-date with what is happening in design, and the way in which I can contribute to it creatively.

Current CV

Flat 2, Fabian Bell Tower, 2 Pancras Way, Bow, London E3 2SD M 07366597511

Profile

callumoreillydesign@gmail.com callumoreillydesign.com

I am a driven, ambitious individual, who does not shy away from intensive hard work to be able to progress myself personally and professionally. I pride my focus of my personal life networking with other like minded creatives, spending time searching for inspiration, and gathering a more worldly conception of the visual world I am contributing towards. I aspire to extend my use of communications progressing on my skills and knowledge of the experience I have already built engaging with my environment on a creative level.

Experience

Graphic Design Intern, Agency Forty – March 2019

Designing as part of the creative team of a multi award winning agency creating various multimedia outcomes, for both digital advertising and print advertising purposes. Working with premium multinational clients, to create commercial visual aids, and also contributing to a major in house business development, through digital and print campaigns alongside collateral design.

Freelance Graphic Designer, Impression Digital Marketing – September 2018 - January 2019

Designing alongside the twice nominated ‘Small Agency of the Year’ creating various multimedia outcomes, for both digital advertising and print advertising purposes. Working with premium established brands, to promote new products, and also working with clients establishing their niche in the market, through digital campaigns alongside collateral design. Majority of work I contributed within this role consisted of digital facing products, working alongside the studio on ‘Awwward’ winning content such as Whitetail Gin, and collateral design for local emerging business’ such as Pure Skin Lab.

Sales Assistant, Stormfront Apple Premium Certified Reseller– May 2018 - Present

I undertake regular intensive training with the company, to ensure I am providing the best possible service; and establish a rapport with both my customer personally but also representing the business. I focus my attention around engaging the customer with the products, with extensive knowledge of such, pushing my sales targets beyond the companies expectations on regular occasions. I also provide regular training sessions with members of our customer community, retaining a relationship in which I am trusted by the individuals to solely provide 1 to 1 lessons to improve their personal technological development.

Senior Sales Assistant, Cath Kidston Birmingham – Apr 2015 - Sep 2016

Starting with the company within Selfridges, working alongside other teams of concessionary staff I harmoniously contributed to visual merchandising roles. Further responsibility was welcomed with the move to the company’s second highest earning store, within Grand Central Birmingham. I trained within a senior sales position, taking on ventures such as creating trade reports, visual merchandising, team leadership, banking, and offering tailored innovative solutions to issues that arose - in a way that was considered for the business market position.

Education

1. Leeds Arts University (Leeds College of Art) – Predicted 1:1, Graphic Design, 2016-19

2. Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) - Level 3 Extended Diploma Art & Design, D*D*D* (Triple distinction star), 2014-16

3. Bishop Walsh Roman Catholic School - GCSE 1 A*, 4 A’s, 3 B’s, 3 C’s

Module Evaluation

Overall, I felt the module was extremely positive and has allowed me to develop my own practice as a designer. New techniques such as the elevator pitch, and exploration with timekeeping techniques through the aid of application, is unable me to develop skills that I can now take into the industry which are expected of a professional. Improving timekeeping has allowed me overall to be able to improve my design practice through prioritising and delegating priorities.

I found the sessions within this module motivating due to the level of engagement to which everybody was taking part, and the encouragement of collaboration of many tasks between other designers within the sessions. Which was further enhanced through visiting professionals who are more a level of our own capacity and age, therefore seem to be inspiring and motivational.

The feedback which was received by the module was extremely personal, and coherent to each person's individual aspirations and goals, I felt as if where I wanted to be as a designer was being listened to and in turn, my PPP experience was tailored in order to help me within this direction. The benefit of having a day a week to be able to consider your progression has largely help me discover my position within the industry and voices a designer.

My personal branding has been completed to a standard which I believe represents me both as a designer and a professional, and has allowed me to be able to create a portfolio of visual identity that has gained me the ability to be able to enter the design world in a position I was aspiring to.

Overarchingly I feel the progression within this module has largely influenced my ability to leave university with a junior designer role, within the capacity I was initially aiming towards.