You've Got Real Mail

This session focused on making something and sending it. The 'post' must be meaningful to myself and the receipt to make a lasting impression. 

As this is a whole group project, it is important to consider that a number of peers may also be contacting the same studios/individual creatives and therefore being as unique as possible is important.  

To link this task to another brief that is current, I am going to contact those who have been supporting my 100 Day Challenge on Instagram. Although this task focuses on making connections with new individuals/studios, I would like to build a relationship with those who are following my progress. This will then progress to contacting those who I wish to engage with through the challenge and inform them of the brief. 

Who? 
To identify who I am going to contact, I have looked through the Activity page on Instagram and identified those who are daily followers of the challenge. It is also important to consider those who I would like to build a professional relationship with. 

Hannah Fawcett is one of the individuals who follows my creative Instagram. I initially followed her profile through discovering that she is a Designer and Jump studio in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Through looking at her LinkedIn profile, I have also discovered that she did a foundation year at Leeds Art University. 
Although as designers we have different styles, we have common similarities in our attention to detail in hand made pieces of art such as embroidery. 

Address for Jump:
Milburn House
Dean Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 1LE

Brie Harrison

Brie is a Designer and Illustrator whose work I have been following for a number of years. Her illustrations are inspired from travel and the details that she captures through exploring. This is a process that inspires me in my practices the everyday life is a subconscious inspiration to my creative practice. As well as producing prints for an online shop, Brie also works with a number of clients. This is a direction of work that I would like to explore in the future. It provides the freedom to do what one wishes as well as being able to be commercially recognised. 

Address: Brie Harrison Ltd, The Studio, 21 Bucklesham Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 8TH, UK

The Independent Leeds are also a follower of my profile. I was in contact with a member of the team who was a Journalist for the magazine however this contact has recently been flaking. To reconnect a relationship with the IL they will also be a team that I will be contacting through this task.  

hello@independentleeds.com

What?

As those who have been initially selected have already engaged with the 100 day challenge through Instagram, I would like to send them 2 prints that have already been produced. To ensure that they are unique to the individual, adjustments will be made to the design. For example, as Hannah works with embroidery, an element of this will be included in the print. 

Accompanying the prints will be a handwritten note to say 'Thanks for the support'! This will add to the receivers recognition of my work as well as being a positive gesture and a platform to open up discussion. 

Brief 01, Evaluation

The brief: Produce a business card for Kristina Sergeeva, a documentary photographer. The outcome will be used primarily used at the Paris Photo event. 

Through the brief, Sergeeva had a high creative input in to the design decisions made. Although this is important for a client to ensure they gain the outcome that best reflects themselves, I felt that my creativity was not as important in this process. Completing this brief felt more like a task as there was limited creative freedom. Due to the very specific requirements and feedback by Sergeeva, there was no openness to exploring a variety of options.


This brief has provided me with an insight into what it is like completing a project for a client. It has demonstrated the importance of communication as well as the hinderance that a high level of input can have on the brief exploration. I have also been able progress my skills when working to a tight deadline as this brief was completed and the outcome delivered to the client within two weeks. 

The Archipelego

The Archipelago is a two person studio based in Leeds. They have a current side-project called The Plant Room, focuses on introducing plants into the workplace. This has been informed by research and created a collaborative project bringing plants, illustration, ceramics and design into working environments. This project reflects my own interests in research informing design. Due to these similar interests, I contacted the studio to see whether they are available to meet and discuss more about what they do. 

Creative Networks Brief - Collective

In Level 5 myself, Courtney, Emma and Georgina worked as a Collective in answering a course written brief. Through this we discovered our strengths with working together and therefore have continued this into Level 6. Having learnt each others styles and ways of working, the Creative Networks brief was an opportunity to explore these further as well as get back into the process of researching and completing a brief. 

The brief required the production of a concept for a promotional campaign for one of the selected creatives. This involves a poster design(s), flyer design and a "Creative Network" moving image. This brief therefore played on our individual interests in print and digital design which allowed for individual practice when answering the brief as well as working collaboratively.

This collaboration brief was a good way to to start back into the process of responding to a brief. As a team we worked efficiently together and separately, communicating through email and through the use of google drive. This meant we were able to stay up to date with each others workings and provide feedback. This was found to be an effective way of working as we were able to respond to the brief in the one week timescale that was presented. 

100 Day Challenge

Following on from the talk by Frankie from Design Kids, I have started a 100 day challenge on my creative Instagram account. I am challenging myself to try create a new piece of design each day and post it on my account. Through this I hope to be able to explore a range of illustration/design processes and styles as well as increasing my social media status. This will also enhance my skills in software programmes such a Adobe Illustrator as well as my hand produced painting/drawing skills.

The Design Kids

Hearing the experiences and adventures that Frankie has been on/been involved in since graduating has inspired and given me confidence for the future. She highlighted the importance of being active in the creative world but as well as having personal interests. I aim to continue developing the network connections that I have built on through the previous two years of study. One way in which I have already done this is by enquiring about The Design Kids TDK networking event in Leeds.

Through being involved in the workshop run by Frankie from Design Kids, I have also began to consider a number of potential career routes for the future. These directions are important to consider when considering who/where I would like to complete placements. To explore these directions, I aim to research more into the highlighted job roles, as well as speaking to individuals in the particular creative fields. 


What I learned:

- Be confident and passionate 

- Attend network events weekly

- Graphic Design degree doesn't mean a Graphic Design job

- Find the job that best fits your personality

Career Directions

Following Frakie's talk, the following roles have been explored and referenced to in terms of my progression through Level 6. This research has allowed me to identify how to develop my skills in the areas- primarily through completing briefs in Extended Practice that explore each area. This will ensure that my practice is developing and progressing in a direction that will allow me to explore the various disciplines further. 

Graphic Design
- As a whole, this subject can refer to a number of different disciplines and directions. 
- Aim to complete a range of briefs that explore this area, focusing on identity as this allows for illustration, copywriting and organisation to filter in 

Illustration
- A sepeerate practice in itself however also filters into graphic design. 
- Aim to complete briefs that allow explore this discipline further, looking at print and digital making to show variety in my portfolio


Copywriting
- Can be used as stand alone type or in conjunction with other design elements
- Used to engage the audience, sell a product, make a statement
- This could be applied through live briefs that involve a campaign