Word Hard but Think Hard Too by Gingerbread Graphics

work hard BUT

think hard TOO

By Andy Evans

W o r k H a r d , b u t T h i n k H a r d To o . By Andy Evans Second year BA Graphic Design

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

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My name is Andy Evans and I thought I should start off by telling you a little bit about myself. I would say that I’m just an ordinary, ginger haired, University student whose often mistaken for Ed Sheeran. I like all things social and watching the football on the weekends.

... Study the books of the greats – Bob Gill/ Paul Rand/Pentagram/Smile in The Mind, etc . Work hard, but think hard too, You’ll be great. Oh, and thankyou for your interest in us. The very best of luck – Greg.

I didn’t do very well in school and failed most of my A-levels so before you start thinking I’m a smarty pants, I’m really not. I’m medically defined as “Dyslexic, but with unique qualities,” which must be right because Mum always tells me I’m special.

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I’m currently a student at Staffordshire University and in February 2014, after seeing Greg Quinton ( The Partners’ Creative Director ) at a designer conference in London, I decided to email The Partners to see if I could get some portfolio feedback. Greg emailed me back personally which was great. Wow, Andy, I really admire your energy and entrepreneurial spirit! You have the energy to succeed, but to be a great graphic designer I would advise you to understand what makes design average or great ...

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February 2015, a year later, I wanted to show The Partners that I’d gone away and had developed as a designer. I was thinking about how best to do this and I jotted down a few experiences I’d had that year and discovered that, although sometimes I didn’t realise it, those experiences had taught me a thing or two about design and had moved me closer to understanding what makes design average or great.

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Little did Greg know that his email would motivate me to a memorable 2014 which included winning a national award and meeting Russell Brand. However it also included spending a night homeless in London. The next few pages retell those stories and the eight most valuable lessons I learnt.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson One

Lesson Five

Networ king

The rules

L e s s o n Tw o

Lesson Six

The right frame of mind

Self-confidence

Lesson Three

Lesson Seven

Colour is key

Hard wor k

Lesson Four

Lesson Eight

Ty p o g r a p h y

Idea generation

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson One

Networking I’d been at an evening networking event in London and my train home was the following day at 7:00am because I had to be back for an early morning meeting. My plan was to go to the networking event and then sit in Euston train station, read my book and play Flappy Bird until my train arrived the next day. Sounds like a plan doesn’t it — what could possibly go wrong? Little did I know Euston was undergoing construction that night so after the last train left the station I was booted out and had to spend the night on the streets of London. I’m not suggesting this is the best thing to do but getting feedback or general advice from people in the industry has been so key to my progress over the last year and I couldn’t recommend networking enough to anyone. As a result of that particular networking event I’ve made an invaluable industry contact that I still speak to regularly as a friend, but has also guided me on a number of projects.

2 Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Two

The Right Frame of Mind This lesson in attitude was suggested to me by a motivational speaker. He is a multi-millionaire now but started off selling dishwashers at 15. The tip he suggested has changed the way I meet new people so when I was thinking about what I’d learnt over the year I knew this has to be one of them. Every time you’re motivated, in a great mood or just buzzing for something, lick the top of your mouth. Sounds weird I know and I’m not suggesting you make a big deal about it when you do it otherwise your friends might stop hanging out with you. I bet you’re trying to do it now, aren’t you? By licking the top of your mouth every time you’re in this great mood it becomes a mental trigger. Next time you’re about to enter a networking event, interview or meeting doing this will trigger the positivity you need to allow you to take on any challenge.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Three

Colour is Key I am surprised about how much of a difference an understanding of colour can make to the design process. Taking inspiration from famous pieces of art or just understanding how printing colour works and what colours go together can make a big difference. The moment I realised this was whilst working on a project for a London Musician ‘Renz’. I was asked to create a logo for him and after 37 different colour schemes I finally created number 38 which really made the logo work and received positive feedback from Renz’s team. This extra effort spent on the colour was the difference between an average or great logo. This was later rewarded when I got invited to the Rockafella Centre in New York to meet his agent. The meeting was at 3:00pm, the exact same time I was supposed to be checking into the airport to fly home. So not only was I two hours late for check-in but I also had to answer to one angry girlfriend who was with me. #longflightback

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Four

Typography Going to University I didn’t really know anything about typography and just like colour I was surprised about how it could take a piece of design to another level. I encountered a steep learning curve about type during a University project where I had to portray statistics about London and the design industry in a unique way. After speaking to agencies gathering research, I created 3ft inflatable type spelling out the word ‘OPPORTUNITY’. I then hand-painted the statistics onto each letter. The original plan was to display the letters in the Shard overlooking the city landscape. I got permission and raised publicity to promote the event but unfortunately I couldn’t secure the viewing platform on the day I needed it. I still took the letters down to London and managed to get a great location on the banks of the Thames. Before I created the letters I had to learn a lot about type mainly through reading the books of the great. It was a long process but the extra effort is reflected in most of the work I’ve produced since.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Five

The Rules Continuing on from type and University projects, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found that learning all about design rules, largely through reading, can really give you an edge when it comes to ideas and layout. But just as important as learning them is breaking them. Just like putting stickers on lampposts or buying alcohol underage, breaking the rules can sometimes be exciting. In this University project the brief asked me to create a brand for an iced-tea flavoured energy drink aimed at high-end business men and women of London. By doing some research I discovered that most energy drink designs are essentially the same, with big bold fonts and colours usually with a woman or an animal on the front. Knowing this I was able to break the trend and create a unique brand. The packaging was professional, clean cut and with a minimal feel. This would then stand out on the supermarket shelves because it was different, making it catch the eye of the corporate market attracting the new target audience.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Six

Self-Confidence One day I thought to myself that if I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have self-confidence how could I expect other people to become confident in me. The difference between then and now was a decision I made that you could either be someone who is shy, scared to speak up and lets opportunities pass by through fear. Or you can be someone with confidence, who gets remembered and takes risks. Even if those risks back fire, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re no worse off. So I ask myself, what exactly am I scared of and if I was not scared, what would I do? In light of this lesson I approached the local YMCA and offered to organise and run some design workshops to their residents, teaching them some basic design skills and opening up the idea of a job in design for those who had not thought about it before. The workshops ran over a series of weeks and I was able to develop my own skills as well as the participants.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Seven

Hard Work I entered a competition to have a pop-up shop selling a clothing line I had created and after being successful I set about marketing the shop. Promoting the shop was a lot of fun and a lot of work but because Iâ&#x20AC;Ś Did radio interviews, got Alton Towers involved, held a pop-up shop in a nightclub for promotion, organised a visit from the Mayor, did newspaper interviews, ran a Twitter campaign which caught the eye of Paul Gascoigne, stood outside the shop engaging with potential customers every day when it was open and finally spent two weeks working on the presentation to give to the national judges. The payoff was winning the Digital Marketing National Award, which made all the hard work worth it. To celebrate I stayed in London with friends for the Holi festival of colours and if my Nan asks, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a professional design event all about Pantone colours.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

Lesson Eight

Idea Generation Watching Russell Brand’s online show ‘The Trews’ I thought to myself, “I’d quite like to meet Russell, he seems interesting.” Three weeks later I was in London asking him for a favour. Unrelated at the time, I was working on a University project to raise awareness of a campaign of my choice. I’d selected the New Era campaign to work with which Russell Brand was supporting. The New Era Estate had been brought by an American development company, who were about to triple the rents. The residents at the time were mainly single parent families, elderly and disabled; the rent increase would force them to leave the estate and London. My idea was to create a video to put online which would then help raise awareness of their plight, In order to get the filming done I had to get down to the Estate early so headed to London with all the University equipment the night before, stopping on a friends sofa ...

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

... I met Russell in the morning and asked him to be the voice over of the video, but he was recording a documentary so was a bit preoccupied. #gutted At the end of the day I was walking to the station to get my train home when I passed him by chance. I knew I’d kick myself if I didn’t ask him again. He said,

“My cars coming in 20 seconds so manage your expectations.” He did the voice over but he didn’t seem too happy. Little did I know he had just had a big argument with a Channel Four news reporter which would be all over the papers the next day so I’d like to think he was still annoyed with the reporter and not this annoying ginger kid who he must have thought was following him.

Work Ha rd, but Th i n k Ha rd Too.

I hope you can see by reading this short book that I am really keen to learn, and keep learning. Over the next twelve months, I’m looking to do several work placements. I would love to work with you. If you would like to see some of the projects I have been working on recently please view my portfolio. www.andyevansgraphics.com Thank you Andy Evans 07891 644 052 andy@gingerbreadgraphics.com

I suppose the lesson I learnt was when it comes to idea generation, think what’s the obvious answer to the brief and what’s the unrealistic answer to it, then take that latter option and work towards making it possible.