OUGD502 - Creative Report

500 word Creative Report as a digital ISSUU publication posted and clearly labelled to my PPP blog

In order to engage the professional I intend to structure my questions based on the title of module: PPP.

Personal
Questions to break the ice and initiate a conversation. This will make me and the subject feel more confident.

Can you describe your practice in 3 words?
This question quickly puts the ball in your court, and would provide me with the power to guide the interview in a way that suits my objective.

What motivates you?
To ease the professional into the interview and break the ice, I intend to ask short questions in order to get immediate responses. I can take these sources of inspiration to inspire my work in the future.

Professional
Questions based on their experiences and opinions of working in the design community

Do you prefer to work independently or collaboratively?

If you could choose any client to work for who would it be? And why?
Encourages the professional to think about the future.

Practice
Questions based on the techniques and processes used

Do you like to approach briefs from a hands on or digital approach?

Analogue or digital processes?

Progressive Practice:

During the first year I identified a range of inspirational designers and studios that I used as inspiration which ultimately broadened my knowledge on the creative industry. Progressing from first year in to second year, I refined the list of designers based on my evolving practice.

Potential Professionals:

Eike Koenig 

Became immediately inspired by Koenig's work due to his simple typographic print solutions which introduced high impact typographic solutions. Since then I have been following him on Instagram and Facebook.

Always been drawn to his work for imperfections throughout his typographic compositions. The surface texture created by the prints is refreshing in the digital age and inspired me to explore more expressive typographic solutions. 

Dropped out of his studies to work for a record label and set up HORT - Berlin

Hort create unique visual systems for clients that stand apart from the traditional language of graphic design. Hort’s careful balance of professionalism and play has been a strong source of inspiration
His studio is referred to as a 'playground' for visual communication. 

Art direction, branding, creative consultancy, editorial design, graphic design, illustration, lectures and workshops. 

Examples from archive:

Evidence of experimental 'ugly' design due to the inconsistent typesetting and styles, however the aesthetic is a combination of both modernism and postmodernism which are ultimately objective and justifiable.

The freedom of creativity that Studio Hort provides is the type of environment I would like to experience in the industry. Having the encouragement to explore new medium and techniques using a hands on approach is complimentary of my design process because I struggle to produce engaging compositions when designing purely on screen.

Koenig's success is inspirational to me because even though he was frustrated by his lack of specialist knowledge, he used his creative enthusiasm to collaborate and encourage creative exploration. He currently runs his own studio, as well as doing educational visits and workshops. 

Interview on vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/7709246

Key points:

• Didn't have a specialist skill in design which was really frustrating - This is reminiscent of where I am now as I am still unsure on where I want to go in the world of graphic design and I haven't built up a specialism, instead I like to explore a range of techniques and processes. - To overcome this Koenig opened himself up to talk to other specialist creatives and collaborate - Not afraid to share ideas
• Doesn't like things to be perfect - Reflects the imperfections of modern life through his work
• Manual processes encourage this creative flow - People interact more when working away from the computer. 
• Experimentation = Develops new styles
• Computer is a tool - Use it when you HAVE to use it
• Likes to work in a team 

Eike Koenig submits artwork for Another Fine Mess

Koenig encourages his studio to work experimentally to add a unique touch - Not just one person's outcome. 

Identified that he uses traditional printing processes to communicate - Why do you print your outcomes rather than digitally reproduce them?

Is it the unique texture? Manual process is more likely to generate mistakes?

Do you think technology is influencing peoples approaches to briefs? Limiting?

What is your immediate response to a brief? - Hands on or digital? When are they appropriate to use?
Subjective or objective approach?
How do you attract your clientele?





Andrew Townsend 

Andrew Townsend is a graphic designer, art director and artist based in the UK.

Book design to image making, expressive typography to branding and design for retail environments. He works with clients in the arts, education, fashion and retail sectors.

Tangible processes such as screen printing

Specific interest in art

Discovered him for his production of The Art Form
Takes a personal look at contemporary artists
Currently only 1 issue, 2nd is on the way

The Art Form - Issue 01

Potential Questions

You clearly have an interest in art, how did this help to form your rational for The Art Form?

How did you decide on the artists to feature? Did they influence the questionnaire?

How did the artists respond to your questionnaire?

When is the second issue going to be released?

How did you think of the questions?
Did you struggle to get the artists to reply to your questionnaire?

Did you have a lot of creative freedom? Were you tempted to be more expressive with page composition?

How did you create such a consistent identity when the content is so diverse and experiential of different techniques and processes?

Do you have any plans for the future of The Art Form? Any changes?

• Art can be unplanned/subjective, what do you think graphic design can learn from contemporary fine art?

Subjective and objective design



Emily Stanley Macaulay - Stanley James Press
How do you get briefs? - Are they self initiated or client based?

Have you ever thought about exploring different materials such as textiles?

What are you working on at the moment?

Ideas for coming up with ideas

How can I get someone to engage with the product?

Product
Range
Distribution

• Don't let the concept be held back by a budget or technical conspiracies, these will only hold you back, especially during the initial concept stage as ideas will be limited in creativity. 

Brainstormed other methods we used in order to come up with ideas. Having the whole class contributing to the activity provided a range of perspectives. 

Most Obvious Answer
Most ambiguous answer
Free association
Key words associated (tangential approach)
Identifying what already exists
Subconscious, recognising everyday potential solutions
Mindmapping
Identifying and working with limitations
Discussions, feedback, interviews, focus groups
Rewrite the brief in own words
Target Audience (Personas) - Only demonstrated this
Product Testing
Talk to people not in the creative field

In order to practice these idea generating methods, we were set the task of making Yahoo the most popular home page in the world. Yahoo is very much overshadowed by search engines such as Google, Safari and Firefox therefor it will be a challenge to develop a unique solution.

Discussion Points

• Google has become such an iconic brand/search engine that people often say 'I'll Google it!' when they're not even using Google.
• If someone wants to find something out - 'Google it'

By looking at the lexis 'Yahoo', and its phonological characteristics, we developed the concept of allowing the user to customise the name of the site/page adding personality and control. 'Ya ...' would also work as a marketing campaign that could spread across social media and billboard signage. 

Rejecting the use of computers helped to create a discussion because people weren't hidden behind their screens. The whole group was engaged in the conversation which was beneficial to our initial concepts.

OUGD502 - Finding Creative Events

Engaging with more creative events will broaden my perspective of design and also provide opportunity to engage with professionals. Sources such as Songkick, Leeds Living and Leeds List provide constantly updated event listings on culture. I used these sources throughout the first year to identify music and film events, however there was a lack of promotion for creative design talks and meetings more specific to my practice. To overcome this, I researched into resources that provide more appropriate and relevant event information.

Heyevent
http://heyevent.uk/leeds/new

Heyevent helps to find concerts, theatres, art exhibitions, sport event, conferences, and other events from major cities in the UK. Specifically focusing on art exhibitions and creative talks gives me a source of local creative events so that I don't miss out on visiting professional talks/workshops as well as exhibitions.

Potential events include:

• Moon Tweeds Of Guiseley: From Yorkshire Mill to Global Brand

'Yorkshire was once home to thousands of woollen and worsted mills, but today there are very few survivors. What does it take to battle the odds in an ageing industry and to come out on top?' - I have gained an interest in textile design for their exploration of materials, textures and techniques. This talk would be beneficial to me because it will demonstrate how a brand can expand and survive in a difficult economic climate

Eye Magazine Website - Events

http://www.eyemagazine.com/events

Eye, the international review of graphic design, is a quarterly printed magazine about graphic design and visual culture. Their website also provides an international events section which is a reliable and easily accessible source of professional talks, focused purely on design. A lot of the international events focus on very successful professionals, giving up their time to share their own experiences in the industry. A lot of the events are based in major design cities such as London and Berlin which makes them expensive and time consuming to get to, however these events will be really beneficial. 

Would be beneficial to learn more about the risograph process
Events, exhibitions and workshops are interactive
Mix with other creatives with the same interests as me

John Cooper Clarke and Modern Construct - Fred Perry

John Cooper Clarke is a renowned poet whom I was lucky enough to see in concert. He has been labelled as a 'punk poet' due to his exposure during the Punk music movement as well as his lively, rapid-fire style to of poetry.

Clarke has recently written a new poem for Fred Perry’s Annual Traditions Christmas campaign. The poem is accompanied with a film and series of posters designed by London-based design studio Modern Construct that feature the words of the poet.

“Buy a gift that leaves unsaid. Baby you’re the business, you gotta go with Fred.”

The project appropriates the analogue techniques used in John’s early publications and gig posters. This hands-on approach echoes back to John’s first job as a lead typesetter before he gained popularity for his written work. I wasn't aware that Clarke used to be a lead typesetter and Modern Construct have utilised this personal attribute to inform the typographic style and how it is presented/removed on screen. 

The video aesthetically appeals to me as the muted tones and ink spot images connote collage which is a medium I have explored throughout my creative journey. Due to my previous experimentation with stop-motion animation using collage, this aesthetic brings text, image and texture together in an irregular, playful and broken fashion. Modern Construct have appropriated this media to connote Clarke's poetic style. 

The natural characteristics of the collaged typography combined with the irregular layered textures makes reading Clarke's poem an emotive experience. The broken and inconsistent lines of type force the audience to read the poem as if it was Clarke reading it. Modern Construct init

After witnessing Clarke's performance at a festival and reading his poetry I can see a clear relationship between both creative arts. This, like fashion, provides designers with the ability to 'break the rules' of design in order to communicate the expressive art form. I like to produce ambiguous and expressive compositions in the past however I haven't featured typography because I didn't have the skills and experience. As my practice is progressing from first year my typographical and typesetting knowledge has improved through applying traditional methods, I aim to combine my improved typesetting skills with my passion for surface pattern and texture in order to generate a stylistic aesthetic, whilst also making sure it is informed and appropriate for the brief.

Stop motion animation is an engaging method of producing moving image which creates graphic communication.

OUGD502 - Visiting Professional - Harrison Park

Graduate Harrison Park came to present his experiences from graduation to working in professional design studios. His honest and personal insight into the creative industries didn't make the experience seem glamarous due to long hours, unstimulating briefs and difficult clients. However these are experiences that can build a graduates character so that they have a stronger understanding of their own graphic design practice and its industry.

His presentation style was clear, concise and engaging due to the limited typography and visual content.  Cultural and political images were used to highlight and illustrate certain principles and lessons he identified. Showing his personality through cult figures and humour engages the audience in a friendly manner.

Key points:

• Building relationships with other creatives and design studios will help to increase the chance of employment and also use each others skills and techniques to benefit each others practice. Using the colleges array of creative talent and fascilities will open up new opportunities in the future. 
• Nothing handed to you on a plate - Work hard for it
• Be passionate
• Sell yourself
• Be flexible - Harrison works for two design studios 
• Show personality
• Don't be a dick
• Ask questions
• Rejection happens 
• Don't be afraid to ask
• Stay true to yourself
• Communication
• Studio BDB
• Lots of shit briefs to pay the bills
• Copywriter - Someone to articulate and sell concepts - This gives me confidence as my articulation of projects and concepts is weak.
• Charge a reasonable rate - Particularly at the start of profession don't charge a lot for work as it will open more opportunity for creativity so the client has less control. 

Emailing professionals

Dont say 'I found your website'
Do something different - Animated Gifs
Post letters
Mention their recent projects
Say thanks if they reply even for a rejection

Found Harrison's advice useful because I have struggled to engage professionals in my emails. Mentioning projects that I have identified interest in and specifically asking about them will engage the designer and using different techniques such as animated Gifs or posting letters to creative professionals will charm the client and ultimately they'll be more likely to reply.

Reflection of Harrison's point of view of the creative industry and my experience at Extra Strong. Harrison identified that a lot of the briefs are small and uninspiring but these need to be completed in order to pay the bills. I was exposed to this at Extra Strong because clients such as Classic Carpets required a price match sign, whilst an event company wanted complete branding and editorial content. These small uninteresting briefs can be creatively draining, however Harrison believes that a passion for design is important to overcome demotivational briefs.

Harrison's honest view of the creative industry was slightly negative because he didn't enjoy a lot of previous work experience. However it is to be expected for a graduate of two years. I feel lucky to have found Extra Strong because the studio was friendly and open, allowing free communication between the designers and project manager. Harrison has worked for a range of studios, all of which has positive and negative attributes, I aim to research and experience a range of studio environments in order to define what environment and working style I prefer.

OUGD502 - Dafi Kuhne

Kuhne is a graphic designer / letterpress printmaker from Zürich + Glarus, Switzerland. Since 2009 he has been working full-time in his studio, Babyinktwice, designing and printing posters, invitation cards, brochures and magazines for music, art, architecture, theatre and film projects.

His website is very minimal and concise which is also reflected by his tone of voice, providing the user an immediate source of information. Referring to himself in first person makes the bio more personal which is friendlier to read. This minimal and clean layout is reflective of his practice.

A poster Kuhne has created for his publication; 'True Print':

'I tried to visualise my personal work policy as a piece of unreadable but yet understandable information graphic.'

The typeset copy of Kuhne's personal views and advice for creatives in the design industry is encouraging because he focuses on making the ethics for designers fair. Something that has made an impact on my practice is, 'Bad design concepts don't get better if printed with complicated and expensive techniques. Technique in and of itself is not a design concept.' because I tend to rely on traditional techniques and processes in order to add a natural depth/texture to bad compositions in the hope that it will make it look more professional. 'Dependable day jobs don't provide freedom - It's a trap!' - Motivates me to stay in the creative industry in order to establish myself in a profession that I am passionate and excited about, rather than an easy job that becomes tedious.

Kuhne's ability to manipulate print processes and achieve unique finishes without using digital media is what makes him such an important designer in the digital age. 

Kuhne's complete dedication to analogue processes provides him with the skills to create contemporary posters and a variety of finishes. For every poster, Kuhn provides a video documenting the processes and techniques used to create the bespoke posters. Being able to see the expert printing presses and tools used has really inspired me because it is refreshing to see a designer creating contemporary compositions using analog techniques.

http://www.babyinktwice.ch/projects-images/

The videos immerse the audience in Kuhne's creative practice by recording the sound of the equipment he uses making the processes therapeutic and satisfying to watch. The videos also made me more aware of the machinery that is used to create bespoke typefaces.


Potential Questions

Main inspiration?
What inspired him to use traditional printing processes in the digital age?
What problems did he discover?
Are your projects self initiated? Where do you find your clients, or where did they find you?
Objective or subjective approach? 

OUGD502 - NEST Magazine Launch

Attending the latest NEST magazine launch at Village Bookstore exposed me to socialise with other creatives, pick up a copy and enjoy a beer. I managed to speak to Josiah, the producer of NEST magazine, where he provided details into the production and composition of the publication.

• Due to the limited amount of submissions, Josiah apopted a minimal layout with a lot of white space.
• Contact with printers - Josiah uses Pressision Print which is an external printing company that I am familiar with after my visit in first year. He explained that emails, phone calls and visiting the printers was the best way to communicate and achieve the desired results. 
• I questioned how the ambiguous cover was produced - Simply photographing folded paper with studio lighting and then layering them on Photoshop.
• Logo - Mocked up the disjointed logo in 5 minutes but it is still used now. Shows how creative instinct and expression can still create a successful and timeless outcome.

Overall this experience has given me confidence to approach creatives because they enjoy talking about there work. Josiah was a really friendly and bursting with creative and professional experience.