C 0
H 6
R 2
0
I 6
6
S 3
LEE
//
WHOYOUKNOWWHATYOUDO
W
H
O
Y
O
U
K
N
O
W W Y D
H
A O O
T U .
H 6
P. 001 /
0
R 2
I 6
6
S 3
WHOYOUKNOW.WHATYOUDO.
C 0
L
E
E
3
INTRODUCTION | Defining the question
L E T S G E TA C A D E M I C A L 7
5
| Good & the Bad
INTERVIEW
| J e s s i c a L a p p i n g / G r a p h i c s & Ill u s t r a t i o n s t u d e n t a t UCA
D E S I G N E R S AV O I D NITTY GRITTY
THE
13
11
| Networking & MarketinG
INTERViEW
INTERVIEW
| D i c k S t e e l / S t e e l M c N e i lR o g e r s
21
19
| M i k e L e e / C o m pa n y D i r e c t o r & M a r k e t i n g G u r u
design on the b rain
Which
25
s i d e o f t h e b r a i n m a k e s a m o r e s u c e s s f u ll g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r ?
INTERVIEW
27
| E va n g e l i a T h o m a da k i s / E va n g e l i a T h o m a da k i s Lo n d o n
THE BIG QUESTION
| W h a t i s m o r e i m p o r t a n t, w h o y o u k n o w o r w h a t y o u d o ?
P. 002 /
INTRODUCTION
/
WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT WHO YOU KNOW OR wHAT YOU DO? T he question I’ ve been investi -
freelance on a very small scale
and intended to use this project to gain experience from those who are much more established in the indus try .
It
soon became apparent to me
that it was far more challenging to find the right people to talk to .
KNOW?
>
ECHNOLOGY
P. 003 /
YOU
SYCHOLOGY
WHO
ARKETING ETWORKING HOKNOWSYOU?
find a work experience placement .
I
AKING FRIENDS + INFLUENCING PEOPLE
gating arose from initially trying to
/
/
CADEMIC VS SELF TAUGHT ORTFOLIO. HE DESIGN PRESS + FAME HAT IS A DESIGNER?
OWGOODAREYOU? BILITY + MEASURES
DEFINING
<
THE
WHAT
T his
QUESTION
YOU
//
DO?
was a good opportunity to in -
vestigate an area of graphic design
I
often overlook because
concerned
with
the
I
am more
work .
N ow
would be a good time to understand in more detail , how the link between what
I’ ve
learnt in terms of skill
connects with who it might be done for .
S ubsequently , I asked myself – ‘W hat ’ s more impor tant , who I know or what I do ?’. the question
P. 004 /
P. 005 /
GOOD,
THE
BAD
&
/LETSGETACADEMICAL.
THE
THE
UGLY.
//
ACADEMIC NURTURE + MISSED OPPORTUNIES: Throughout dered that you
this
whether work
I’ve
investigation
university
you
nurtures
produce
enjoy
rather
In
each brief
I’ve
ies
I’ve
than
should what
is
I
idea
be
work
required.
completed so far in my stud-
tailored my outcome towards what
and what
won-
the
think looks good.
On
I
enjoy
occasions
I’ve
put myself outside my comfort zone in order to force myself to learn a new skill or challenge my creativity.
However, I
have been given free reign
otherwise to create what
I
want within each brief
compared to the restrictions
I
have and would
imagine consistently encounter in the industry.
Be
that as it may university is a place as
I
see
it that needs to allow room for freedom of creativity while still setting guidelines within the briefs.
I
would imagine it is a difficult balance
to achieve.
Being an establishment people choose
to come to in order to prepare themselves for the creative industry, creativity is going to have to be developed and strict guidelines would not fully allow this.
Without
exploring our own
creativity we will not be able to explore client briefs creatively or therefore, effectively.
For
that reason, university can give us better ability as a designer and make us a more creative
(bet-
ter) designer resulting in greater success when we make connections with people in the industry.
Studying has the advantages of providing you with a set of recognized skills taught by professionals and it gives you a recognized qualification so there is hard-evidence of the skills you say you have.
I
do feel though, that university is a
place where students, myself included, miss the opportunity
stubbornness,
through
ignorance
etc. to make certain links that are going to benefit them in their career.
This
being said, being
at university you will make connections with people without even knowing
–
friends, tutors.
NORMAN POTTER .ON .DESIGN .EDUCATION ‘A
design capability proceeds from a fusion of
skills,
knowledge,
nation;
Potter
what
understanding,
consolidated
imagi-
This
is
describes in the chapter on de-
sign eduction in his book
He
and
experience.’
by
continues,
‘We
What
is a designer.
accept a certain minimal com-
petence as the basis of professional self-respect, and as some guarantee of a designer’s usefulness to other people.
Within
limits such a competence
is definable, and will begin to form outlines within a formally structured teaching/learning situation. It is too much to say outright that design ability can be ‘taught’.
As with any other creative
activity, it is a way of doing things that can only be grown into, perhaps
–
–
but not necessarily
in the context of a formal design education.
… A skill may be irrelevant to the nature of a prob– in dealing with people – may be grossly uninstructed in necessary tact and discernment. lem, or
… As
for design, there are times when to say
no is a constructive act; to say yes, as a designer looking to the future, is to join social commitment to a mastery of particulars.
In
ed-
ucation, all we can do is make good work possible, and be alert to its coming; never fooling ourselves that all good things come easily.’
What Potter has said does appear to ring true in I have found. Being at university I’ve come
what
to acquire a set of rounded skills more formally that
I
may have had
I
been self taught.
However,
this set of skills will only really be put to the test when
I
graduate and am left to start from
nearly from scratch in terms of how
I am going to
apply this work to my career as a graphic designer.
Certain
aspects of how to cope as a graphic de-
signer in the industry itself can be conveyed at university. the
Some
industry
chances for experience within
are
possible
including
this
in-
vestigation itself and any work and contacts we decide to do and make separate from our study.
Despite
this, as
I
have been told many a
time there is nothing that can emulate or fully prepare you for the actually working in the design industry.
Many
skills that are necessary
and people who you need to know can only be found through experience working in the industry over both short and long periods of time.
P. 006 /
interview
001.
//
j essica lapping
01. / What were the main reason(s) for choosing to study full time over trying to move straight into the creative industry? T he obvious response is that I didn ’ t know enough to just … jump in . T here were loads of factors involved , but mainly it was down to the fact that I wanted to learn and grow as a designer , and accumulate as many skills as I could before entering the industry . 02. / Currently being in the academic world do you see it as something that will benefit you in your career and if so to what extent? W ell . I think there are certainly some very clear benefits from studying at uni , like the things that
I
although
I
have said above ;
do feel that my own personal
development
within
efited from having
my
3
field
to worry too much about what
I
was pro -
ducing as it was not for clients . university experience itself ?
C learly
ben -
mainly
years of not having
I’ m
B ut
the
not sure .
one benefits from receiving feed -
back from tutors , but most of the shit learnt
was
in terms of guess .
It
I’ ve self taught , ironically . B ut benefiting my career , sure . I
provides a platform for a student
to jump from into the industry . naïve sense ,
I
suppose
I
In
a non
am saying its easier
to showcase your work being a student and
therefore , theoretically easier to get a job .
03. / While studying at university important do you consider it to make connections with students, tutors and people on the outside? P retty important . W hich sucks because I’ m a hermit . I do think pester ing should be done in moderation though . 04. / Do you lean towards producing work that you enjoy or work that you think will benefit you most as you develop your career as a designer? B oth . I like to be cause on one hand it ’ s good to try and chal lenge yourself creatively , but on the other , there ’ s no doing it if you don ’ t enjoy it . I guess it depends on exactly what you are doing and how dedicated you are to an idea . 05. / From the impression you are given from university as a whole by lecturers, tutors and students, how important do you view ability in design? V ery important , as long as you aren ’ t a snob about how good you are . E veryone loves a humble person . B eing good at design ing
is
career .
clearly
B ut
going
to
help
you
in
your
then you do have the outsid -
05. / What would you like to do when you leave university or are you undecided? Are you aware of your market? G od . S o much … I can ’ t decide . D efinitely want a studio of some sort . A nd market ? W hat market ?! 06. / How important do you consider producing a portfolio? I t ’ s important , no matter what you end up doing . I f you are pitching to people , trying to get a job , anything like that , it ’ s the only proof you have to demonstrate you can do what you say . 07. / Do you view those studying and teaching you in design as potential competition when you leave? I’ d like to think they aren ’ t . B ut that ’ s mainly because the work I create is totally different to a lot of others on my pathway . I do , however , acknowledge that they proba bly will be fighting for the same jobs as me ! 08. / While at university what do you consider more important who you know or the work you do? M ore the work I do at this time . T hough being in my third year now , the impor tance of who I know is gradually builiding .
er designers , who often do just as well .
STUDENT.
P. 007 /
â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;
/ I
/
wanted to learn
and
grow
as
a
de -
signer , and accumu late as many skills
I could before en tering the industry . . as
001. //
â&#x20AC;&#x153;
P. 008 /
WHAT THE QUOTE? PART I
P. 009 /
“IMAGINE I WAS MEETING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I GAVE YOU A HANDSHAKE. IMAGINE I GAVE YOU ONE OF THOSE REALLY LIMP HANDSHAKES. A LITTLE BIT WET, NOT REALLY IMPRESSIVE. IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME, WOULD YOU EMPLOY ME?” THE TIMES MONDAY MARCH 12, 2007
P. 010 /
NETWORKING
&
M
A
R
K
E
T
I
N
G
AS DESIGNERS A GRITTY. Industry ‘More
Facts:
than a quarter of the
UK’s creLondon’
ative media employers are based in
‘More don
people that
work
any
freelance
other
UK
in
Lon-
region’
‘15% of the UK’s creative media industries workforce is based in the South East region, outside London, exceeding 71,000 people.’
Designer, Interactive Media: design talent; good drawing and diagramming ability; knowledge of relevant design, image manipulation, and asset optimisation software; good interpersonal communication skills, especially
when
dealing
with
specialists
ally nice and helpful’ not
‘really
annoying
and irritating’ or ‘really shy and useless’.”.
Source:
UCA
Careers
Service
2009
“Staying
in the loop with contacts and
in other discipline; ability to manage time,
the industry at large is among the biggest
prioritise tasks and work under pressure.
worries for prospective freelancers.
The
first thing to do is to make sure that the
Web Editor:
good copywriting skills; ex-
cellent proofreading skills; precise atten-
industry knows you’re there, and how extensively you persue this is up to you.
”
tion to detail; good ability to manage time,
”25%
of those working in these industries
in the
South East
prioritise tasks and work under pressure.
“Don’t Skills
Required
by
Employers:
“‘I
don’t really go in for long chats with
people.
region are freelancers.’ be scared to be cocky
–
it’s a hard
I like email – you can be quick, blunt Swift, aka Swifty.
and to the point…’” Ian
line to get right sometimes but strike a balance and they’ll remember you as being ‘re-
“You
might even consider advertising your
YES, IT’S BORING BUT YOU’LL MAKE A PRETTY SHIT DESIGNER IF YOU CAN’T DO IT.
P. 011 /
T
H
E
R
E
L
A
T
I
V
E
IMPORTANCE.
//
AVOID THE NITTY services in a magazine or on a website that
design community. Not only will this keep you
ic
covers a field in which you work.
up to date with what’s going on, it will help to
ents there is no great graphic design.”
Brooklyn-based illustrator Tara McPherson has had success with this approach. On top of her clients work, she sells posters and makes prints of her work, and used
Morris, London
to make other merchandise such as snow
ing
globes, button sets and more.
use
She
has
create an awareness of your opinion.”
and
without
demanding
“I’d
be failing in my duty here if i didn’t
stress the importance in all this.
“Go
on is
social.
the
the
tool
most in
‘Social
important
the
whole
network-
yet
game
cli-
Adam
graphic-designer
based
design
Design-
ers tend to be either heroes or doormats.
easy-to-
If
of
will, on occasions, be stepped on…
self
I’m
afraid you
How
advertised her items in magazines and for
promotion.’”
you acquire hero-like status is a matter of
her posters she took out a banner advert
online
personal odyssy and psychological discov-
on
www.gigposters.com.
The
sales
Gavin Strange, Senior designer, Aardman Animations
you are a doormat, then
ery…
came
in, but art directors also picked up on
“Be
seen.
her promos and got in touch with work.”
minded
Go
out
people
to
and
talk
find to.
some
like
‘Never
shows
just have to be contained in the home all of
of
the time.’”
power
Graham Sykes, Teacake Design.
ko,
festivals.’”
or
“Get
up close and personal.
social
networking
of
Kenyon, Source: Computer Arts Projects 114 September 2008: The Freelance Issue
Magomed DojvenDesigner and Illustrator
Graphic
“Initiate
can
No
contact.”
Creative
director,
your own projects.
Source: Adrian Shaughnessy, How
to be a
graphic designer, without losing your soul.
amount
replicate
human
seen designers acquire it over
hesi-
tate to attend exhibition launches, award
“‘A typographer we once met once told us that he had day passes for a number of local attractions, and that he would take his clients to the zoo or a museum. The office doesn’t
I’ve
time, and it’s a beautiful thing to witness.”
the
Jonathan Vault49 Don’t
just
complain about being unable to do the type
“The
difference between a good designer
– do some– you don’t need permission.” Jarvis, Creative partner, Young
of work you want to be doing
and a successful designer is self-promo-
thing about it
tion.
Peter
Churning
out innovative, high-quality
work is important, but making sure the right people take notice of it and remember who it’s by is even more crucial.”
“Get
your
ister
name
your
name.”
Nick
lights.Reg-
in
name
as
Defty,
your
domain
Director,
“Target your audience. It’s no good getting a database of random design firms and sending them all an email. People need to feel special, and that requires some research on your part.” Johanna Basford, Illustrator
YCN Source:
“Keep them coming back. Your website needs to look good.” Johanna Basford, Illustrator
“What “Speak 1000
Computer Arts 169, De2009, Promote Yourself
cember
should
words. It is essential you are
your
portfolio?
able to communicate effectively through
want
to
some
medium
other
than
the
good work.
Give
of
freedom,
projects
type
up
doing’”
of
include work
in you
David Carson
Source: Computer Arts 84, May 2006, Perfect
Projects Portfolios
your time, skills and
work free for charitable causes. types
always
‘The
visual.”
Sarah Trounce, Project Manager, YCN “Do
end
you
enable
won’t
more
These
creative
“Wherever
possible, it is worth devoting
time and energy to developing clients.
What
reputa-
does this mean in practice? It means taking an
a good job
interest in their affairs, and it means show-
at-
ing initiative. It means keeping keeping a line
parties.”
of communication open so that they are able
Peter Jarvis, Creative Partner, Young
to share their thinking and plans with you.”
“Engage
“Without
and
harm
tion or your conscience. here
and…
tention
of
it
might
with others.
Do
bring
financially
Get
your you
liquid
the
involved with the
clients
there
is
no
graph-
P. 012 /
interview
002.
//
mike lee
01. / How would you suggest a going about building a client base? First of all you need to identify your target market, who you are designing for. You can go about this two ways. The classic marketing approach is to define the market you want to operate within (determined by your skills, preferences, interests, knowledge etc.) and then to match what you have to offer to that market or a segment of that market. The most important point is to understand your potential clients needs or requirements in detail.
ents, their location and finally, what resources
The
lar segment of that larger market whether it be
other is to have a set of skills, principles,
interests, styles etc. and effectively hawk them round the market.
For
you have
(i.e
money, time).
So
for example, if
there are a dozen prospective clients in don
(small
Lon-
number, tightly concentrated), then
it’s likely to lend itself to one to one, personal marketing.
If
it’s a large number of prospec-
tive clients dotted across the country you are likely to be further towards the mass marketing.
Your
resources are going to be more of a fac-
tor here because you may not be able to afford to reach them all in a satisfactory way.
If
geographical or further refined in their needs.
are creating a product for a chosen market then the opportunity to change is in theory unlimited.
information do you give them that will make them
like them. To illustrate this further a larger sized model may be determind that that is the shape and size they are going to use
(their USP
Selling Proposition). There
or
Unique
is a limit to how
much they can change themselves whereas if you
02. / Once you’ve matched your market to your service, how do you reach them? At one extreme is it one to one, at the other is it mass marketing or is it inbetween. Which one of those it is is going to be determined by the numbers of potential cli-
peoples perceptions of a product.
Think
permarkets. on
Apple
Think
of the iconic graphic style
products.
Much
of
graphic design is subconcious.
the
In
effect
of
other words
people aren’t aware of the impact that it has.
feel good about what you have to offer. (see fig. 1)
06. / What would you say is more important Who You Know or What You DO? You need to match one with the other. There is do
no
point
isn’t
in
knowing
relevant
to
people
them
and
if
what
there
is
you no
point in doing something that isn’t relevnat to potential clients
You can way, who Assuming knows
look
-
that is just a hobby!
that
question
in
another
knows you and how good are you. what
you
timately,
at
you
carries
that
is
do much
the
is
good
more
most
then
important
04. / So is that it? No. It has to be planned and implemented. Monitor and adjust as neccesary and go through the whole cycle. (see fig. 2)
guru
who
weight.
marketing
P. 013 /
of the
impact graphic design has on packaging in su-
were case you might have to focus on a particu-
03. / If I know my market and what I’m offering how do I convert them to clients? Simply, you have to a find the best means of communicating. What is the medium and what is the content of your message. For example, a phone call, what do you say?, an email, what do you write? How do you present yourself? What
studio or magazine to magazine to find people that
of marketing because the impact design has on
this
example, models who may
take their particular look, shape from studio to
05. / What is the role of graphic design in marketing? It is absolutely critical. Arguably the most critical aspect
U l-
thing.
“
can look at that question
in another way, who knows you and how good are you.
Assum-
ing what you do is good then who knows you carries much more weight.
Ultimately,
that
is the most important thing.
‘
/
There
/
is no point in knowing
people if what you do isn’t relevant to them and there is no point in doing something that isn’t
relevnat
clients
002. //
“
You
-
to
potential
that is just a hobby!
P. 014 /
S
I
M
P
fig
L
1.
E
//
//
MARKETING
R
ADJUST
^
MONITOR
+
E
A
S
E
A
R
C
H
//
>
S I M P L E M A R K E T I N G C Y C L E for designers
EVALUATE
PLAN
<
I
//
M
P
L
E
M
E
N
T
COMMUNICATIONS + PROTOTPES RAPID: MAKING / TRYING / SHOWING / DOING T R A N S L A T I O N [ O U T P U T ]
[ M U L I D E DESIGN
T A
I
P T
L I
E
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D P W
E S I G N R A C T I C E H I R L P O O L
* { R -
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INSEMINATION R C H ] A N C E THEMOTIC CONTEXT METAPHORIC THEORETICAL NOTION VISUAL IDEOLOGICAL
* OCCURS AFTER DISSECTING THE BRIEF
P. 015 /
GOT IT, YEAH?
fig
2.
//
S I M P L E M A R K E T I N G M A T R I X for designers
S N
C O N C E N T R A T E D L O C A T I O N
D I S W I
P E D
R E
S
E L
D Y
M U
£ D I [ P E V I
A M
E
L R
L N
C N A T
T L }
£ £ MASS 1 2 [REGIONAL - POSTERS P R E S S
£ 1 }
£ £ £ M A S [DESIGN PRESS W E B S I T E
£ S ]
L B
R E R S O S I
£ £ R E M O T E [1 2 1 VIA MAIL - PHONE E M A I L ]
A U
R M
G B
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E
P. 016 /
WHAT THE QUOTE? PART II
P. 017 /
“‘A TYPOGRAPHER WE MET ONCE TOLD US THAT HE HAD DAY PASSES FOR A NUMBER OF LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, AND THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS CLIENTS TO THE ZOO OR A MUSEUM. THE OFFICE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE CONTAINED IN THE HOME ALL OF THE TIME” GRAHAM SYKES, TEACAKE DESIGN COMPUTER ARTS PROJECYS 114 / SEPT 2008 / THE FREELANCE ISSUE
P. 018 /
interview
D S
003.
//
T
01. / Were you self taught or schooled? Art College graphics course.
I
C
E
produce work speculatively, if that’s what you mean, mainly because you can’t really produce a piece of work until you know what problem (that is, design communication issue) the client needs
02. / What made you decide to freelance/work for a studio or collaboration? A graphics course alone isn’t enough, it only scratches the surface of all the skills, not to mention the experience, you need to be an effective and successful designer. It’s important, therefore to build up your experience by working for others first.
you to solve and that in turn is a question of having a proper brief.
Large
advertising agencies
04. / Is it more the case that you have to go and find the work or the work finds you? Design is a business like any other. You have to market and sell yourself. Eventually, you will get a reputation and people will come to you, but only because you have proved yourself.
E
08. / Do you stay aware of competitors in the design industry or do you not view them as competition? We try to be aware of what’s going on in design terms – the solutions that are being produced – rather than regarding anyone as a competitor.
often work speculatively when invited to make a pitch for an account, but that’s because they have large resources to throw at winning what would be an even larger prize.
At
our level, in
short, speculative work devalues the processes and expertise involved in coming up with an effective design solution, which is what the client pays for.
03. / How important do you consider having a portfolio of work, if at all? The work is the proof of the pudding. It’s essential.
K L
06. / Do you have a regular client base? Yes, That’s where most of the work comes from. The first place to look for new business is from existing clients. We also do what are ostensively one-off projects which can turn into long-term relationships.
09. / How have networking/blogging sites such as LinkdIn and Twitter benefited you, if at all? Not at all, but that’s probably something we could exploit, and will be exploited more and more by others. 010. / From your experience what is more important who you know or the work you do? What you do. Contacts are important, but long term, it’s the effectiveness of the work you produce, and therefore your reputation that will build a meaningful contact base.
07. / As far as you are aware, are any of your clients networked to each other? No, they tend to be in differ-
Of
course, there’s
no substitute for being in the right place at the right time, but that’s something you can’t legislate for.
ent market sectors and their paths are unlikely to cross.
05. / Do you produce personal work in order to gain interest from potential clients? We don’t
I
certainly don’t think they network
due to having a design source in common.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
P. 019 /
A
graphics course alone isn’t
enough, it only scratches the surface of all the skills, not to mention the experience, you need to be an effective and successful designer. It’s important, therefore to build
/”/
up your experience by working for others first.
There
is no point in knowing
people if what you do isn’t relevant to them and there is no point in doing something that isn’t
relevnat
003. //
clients
-
to
potential
that is just a hobby!
P. 020 /
P
S
Y
C
H
O
L
O
G
Y
LEFT
The
OR
mind should be androgynous but the whole
movement suggested here is towards the aspects of what we believe to be right brain functioning.
Financial Times: “Any job English-based in markets such as the U.S., the U.K. and Australia can be done in India.” Pink continues to explain how ‘rightbrained’ data driven jobs which were once high paying (e.g. coding) are more and more being
He
uses a quote from
that is
BOOK STUDY
outsourced to other countries where it can be done cheaper than it can over here.
Although
this is not a new idea, it is the fact
that this shift is becoming more apparent on a bigger scale and continually cheaper. subsequently, this is leading to less demand for people trained with linear driven, left brained
PINK Having
skills and more demand for a more creative,
read the book a whole new mind: why
right brainers will rule the future some time ago and thought about it’s relevance to my design question.
Newsweek
described the book,
“Long
on read-
able analysis exercises to build [right brain] skills.
For
soon-to-be liberal-arts grads, it’s an
encouraging graduation gift.”
To
summarise the left/brain differences it can
be said that the left is factual, direct, computative and the right approximate, wholistic,
MIND
emotional.
Obviously
the two sides cannot be divided as
simply as this.
However,
in the book
Pink
uses
the left and right sides separately to describe a shift in culture, working practices and so on.
A
P. 021 /
WHOLE
NEW
R
I
G
H
T
holisitic approach to work.
BRAIN
thinking.
?
This
WHICH
DO
WE
USE?
shift could also mean that the de-
signer is less and less the ‘do-it-all designer at
From
my reading this suggests several positive
the desk’ but more the directors of the design.
points toward both sides of my questions:
Who You Know: If
the idea of moving towards
a more ‘right-brained’ culture is true it’s going to important to network better. the more people we know the more people we can outsource work to. It is also important to maintain a holisitic view in a variety of contexts, for example when dissecting the brief.
The Work You Do: In
graphic design, work is
going to have to concentrate even less on the traditional nature of design and venture further into the realm of ideas generation and holistic
H.
PINK
DESIGN ON THE BRAIN//
DANIEL
P. 022 /
WHAT THE QUOTE? PART III
P. 023 /
”WHAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO? ‘THE TYPE OF WORK YOU WANT TO UP DOING’” DAVID CARSON COMPUTER ARTS PROJECYS 84 / MAY 2006 / PERFECT PORTFOLIOS
P. 024 /
interview
E T
004.
V H
//
A N G E L I O M A D A K I
01. / Were you self taught or schooled? I wasn’t self taught; I went to university obtaining BA (Hons), 1 MA AND 1 Postgraduate Certificate. The advantage of per-
er having a portfolio of work, if at all? The portfolio is the “id” of each designer, it
suing academic studies is that it gives you the
the future upon certain requirements. The portfo-
platform from which you build a knowledge and
lio needs to be updated every
understanding of the fundamental elements that
to be in tune with the current forecast trends.
have an influence on fashion or a subject.
On
gives the opportunity to an interviewer or a client
6-8 months in order
rience and they develop their skills via practise.
build their awareness through industry expe-
In
my case was very important to have the
make all the chasing in the start and use every
academic knowledge because it gave me the op-
single opportunity to promote your work via
portunity to develop my research in different
work experience because you always meet new
fields and later on to apply it into work expe-
people. always have in mind that
rience which enhances theoretical knowledge.
a job is to have very good tion skills.
02. / What made you decide to freelance/work for a studio or collaboration? Since I graduated from my MA my target was to establish my own fashion label. to achieve that I had to experience the different
Also
PR
80%
of getting
and communica-
use online advertising to ad-
vertise your design services.
Approach
them are out of your reach because experience is required.
That
X
years of
will build your job
awareness and also will prepare you for future interviews.
Eventually
the right job will come to
you but until then you have to do all the work.
will lie the best.
Always
started first approaching po-
grab whatever opportunity comes to you.
sitions as a freelancer in order to get experience, firstly
I
Hav-
05. / Do you produce personal work in order to gain interest from potential clients? I will always offer to do a
years
small trial project for a client and if they like it
decided that was the right time
I will carry on with the commission, if they don’t I keep it as portfolio sample because at the end of the day you produced a piece of work for a client.
I
built a very good portfolio reflecting the different market levels that
I
had worked in.
ing built a market awareness and
I
08. / Do you stay aware of competitors in the design industry or do you not view them as competition? Of course there is competition; at the end of the day designing is great but you also want to establish sales. 09. / How have networking/blogging sites such as LinkdIn and Twitter benefited you, if at all? I haven’t used any of them, the only one I have is a group page of my company which I created on Facebook. Because friends have friends who have friends and you don’t know who may see it. Any form of free advertisement is beneficial.
started with very small projects
and eventually one job brought another and
experience
07. / As far as you are aware, are any of your clients networked to each other? Of course - this is how you build contacts, by networking with each other.
as many
interviews as you can, even knowing that some of
market levels and to see where my handwriting
I
06. / Do you have a regular client base? It’s something that eventually is created by experience, promotion, hard work and time.
to view of your work and what you can deliver in
04. / Is it more the case that you have to go and find the work or the work finds you? Ideally you have to
the other hand individuals who are self taught
4.5 – 5
to go solo and launch my own fashion label.
03. / How important do you con sid-
010. / From your experience what is more important who you know or the work you do? Both, because you need contacts and knowing people can open doors.
FASHION DESIGNER
P. 025 /
A S
always have in mind that
80%
of
getting a job is to have very good
PR Also
and
communication
skills.
use online advertising to ad-
vertise your design services.
Ap-
proach as many interviews as you can, even knowing that some of
/â&#x20AC;?/
them are out of your reach because
X
years of experience is required
There
is no point in knowing
people if what you do isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t relevant to them and there is no point in doing something that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
relevnat
004. //
clients
-
to
potential
that is just a hobby!
P. 026 /
the
P. 027 /
YOU
question
/
50
WHO
big
KNOW?
>
WHAT IS MORE WHO YOU KNOW DO? T o answer th I t is 50/50, half tie , no more one o
k
a
so depending on may
become
more
the other but as
the research cove my conclusion is green
circles .
W
other simply cann
most a science wh
world are a chem
both elements are
one another to pr a d
e
s
i
g
E IMPORTANT W OR WHAT YOU he question simply . f and half , a dead than the other . a y , the context one
e
important
than
whole , looking at
ered in this book , whats in the big
W ithout
one
not exist .
It
the
is al -
hereby you and the
mical reaction and
e as important as
roduce the result :
g
successful n
e
r
.
which
50
so
<
WHAT
is
it
then.
YOU
//
DO?
P. 028 /
WHO
YOU
KNOW?
>
<
WHAT
YOU
DO?