I started by looking at the questions I had asked and made themes that I could then base the content on. I wrote these down on a piece of paper and then colour coded each of the creatives names and wrote something under each of the headers referencing something that was in the interview response form the creative. This helped me to then transfer this to a word document and write in a way that would read easily and inform the reader.
I condensed the interviews into the sections ready for me to write it in a format that flows much better than just snippets form the various interviews. This has over 100 words, so still needs a bit of condensing so that it is closer to the 500 word count that the report must be.
PROFILES
Lauren Goodland – Dorkfeatures
Lauren Gemma Hay
Natasha Nuttall
DURING UNI
I I definitely got lots of skills from my first work experience placement and no doubt it also helped me get future opportunities.
Starting up a blog, or even a freelance project, is really great for when you get into the working world. It shows you are hardworking, passionate and have a larger interest in whatever you focus on.
Experimenting creatively, a lot! The #create365 project opened me up and loosened my creative practice causing me to create some of my favourite work to date, pieces I still show in my design
portfolio.
I guess writing my blog? I feel like it gave me an edge which not many other designers at my level had. Not many students really knew how to use social media effectively at this point, but for me it was a platform to connect with more established creatives.
IDENTITY
The branding developed over the years of me having the blog, and definitely influenced my identity now as a graphic designer/creative person (or whatever the hell I am!).
Start from the beginning and act like your creating something for someone else. Work out all the ins and outs, the what’s, why’s, who’s and how’s of you as a designer. Find out what you stand for, what you want to convey through it and what your goals are as a designer and use all that as a basis to what it should look like.
You’re allowed to change it though. Change is good!
My portfolio is varied because my belief is that every client and brief is different so each outcome should be very different. Some creatives have a style which they are well known for and so are approached to do work for brands in their ‘style’, but I don’t. This is fine – I’m not going to force myself to have a style just for the sake of it.
Graphic Design is a broad subject and there are a lot of different areas which creatives and studios specialise in. If you’re going to do something, you want to focus on it and do it well, right? Nobody wants to be an all-rounder. Being an all-rounder is like saying I’m average at everything but good at nothing. Guys… I’m an all-rounder! I love all areas of Graphic Design, my portfolio is varied and I couldn’t choose just one niche area to specialise in if you asked me. (Although maybe I need to?)
CONTENT
I think it's really important to avoid thinking "Oh, I'm creative, I don't need to write things." Because writing can be creative, you also never know when it's going to come in handy - maybe in the future you'll write a creative book!
“I love nothing better than having an idea, and being so excited to write about it/create it that you just keep on going, it's an amazing energy.” – LG
It’s so easy to feel like you *need* to blog about something like beauty or fashion but you don’t. It’s such an easy rabbit hole to get stuck down so stick to writing what you want to write and what you’d like to read- create that.
But definitely give yourself some restraints or at least specify things to yourself.
PROMOTION
I mainly interacted with other bloggers on Twitter and Facebook. Make genuine connections first though, it’s great to have people you connect with. Find your tribes (yes, plural) and run with it.
I guess just using the social platforms to their best - hashtags, good images, tagging relevant people. But I wouldn't start a blog just to get noticed - you have to start a blog because you want to and you have something different to offer.
INTERNSHIPS
I also did a work experience placement at my current place of work (Parade Design) back in the summer of my second year at uni, and building that relationship is what got me the job I'm in now! Basically work work work, you'll learn lots and make important connections.
I definitely have been able to put more thought into the research process and in such, realising mood boards have a specific goal and it shouldn’t be too look pretty or to look like what you want to create.
I also learned a lot of the financial side of things. At one of my internships I got to see the invoices, contracts, etc. that they used and it let me see what works and how to get a client to agree to your terms.
Being an intern is the best and most important time to ask questions. You’re surrounded by successful designers who have years of experience and knowledge – they have been in your shoes, made plenty of mistakes and if you ask nicely, they will probably be happy to share their stories. Ask for tips. Ask about their journey – where have they worked before, how did they get to where they are now? What do they do when they’re not at the studio – visit exhibitions, talks, galleries etc? Who do they admire in the industry?
KNOWLEDGE
Every time I went on my phone I felt like I had stifled the creativity and motivation I had built up from reading a very inspiring book. As inspiring as the internet can be, I think it can sometimes do the opposite.It's also very easy to get caught up in other people's lives on things like Instagram and compare yourself to other people, so I'd say try and get inspiration from places that aren't online as much as you can.
Get to as many creative/design events as possible.
Never stop learning! Our outputs change all the time and our technology and software we use is always adapting.
Put only the best work in your portfolio, ones that get you excited, that you enjoyed doing, that
show great skill.
“You don’t need to know everything but have a basis and be willing to learn.”
INSPIRATION
https://medium.com/the-mvp/unconventional-ways-to-become-a-better-designer-11ecac6690ee
For the final zine I took this document and put each section into one/two paragraphs so that it was easy for the reader to engage with. To ensure that it was obvious which of the creatives was offering each piece of advice I used their initials in reference to what was being said. I also made the inspiration sction easier to understand as it did not make sense to put links to websites in a printed publication.
INTERNSHIPS
For the final zine I took this document and put each section into one/two paragraphs so that it was easy for the reader to engage with. To ensure that it was obvious which of the creatives was offering each piece of advice I used their initials in reference to what was being said. I also made the inspiration sction easier to understand as it did not make sense to put links to websites in a printed publication.
DURING UNI
The time during uni should be used to its best with the hope that certain things will help you to develop in the future as a creative. LG emphasises the importance of work experience, the skills you learn from it and the contacts you make. LH explains that experimenting creatively, a lot by completing challenges such as #create365 can open you up and loosen you.
A blog was another common suggestion as it is great way to show you are hardworking, passionate and have a larger interest in the creative field than the set briefs. At the time, NN was one of few who used social media effectively, even though it felt like the best way to connect with more established creatives. This can be transferred to blog writing, write about something a bit different to others. Write about your passions.
IDENTITY
Your creative style can be portrayed through your visual identity and online presence. LH recommended starting from the beginning when designing your identity, pretend you are client. Find out what it is you stand for, what you want to convey through it and what your goals are as a designer. Having a varied portfolio which responds to every client and brief differently should not be seen to be negative, but it is however something that many creatives worry about. As Graphic Design is such a broad subject, NN’s love for all areas makes a varied portfolio and shows that the dedication to one niche isn’t necessary in order for success.
You’re allowed to change it though. Change is good!
CONTENT
The decision on exactly what to blog about can often be the biggest hold back. You may have lots of ideas and passions, but lack the ability to decide on how to keep it consistent. Yes, images speak a 1000 words, but LG emphases the importance of thinking “oh, I’m creative, I don’t need to write things” because writing can be creative in itself. With all of the lifestyle blogs that are very on trend currently, LH says that it is easy to feel like you need to blog about something like beauty or fashion, but you don’t. You should write about what you like to read, but give yourself some restraints so that there is a level of consistency.
“I love nothing better than having an idea, and being so excited to write about it/create it that you just keep on going, it's an amazing energy.” – LG
PROMOTION
If you are writing a blog post, you naturally are writing because you want an audience to read it and engage with you. Social media is the best form of self-promotion as interaction on twitter and Facebook is so accessible. The use of good images, hashtags and tagging of relevant people will allow your blog to become discovered. But NN believes that a blog will not get you noticed, it is a space to write because you want to write about something different. LH advises to make genuine connections first, find your tribes (yes, plural) and run with it.
Find your tribes (yes, plural) and run with it.
INTERNSHIPS
Although initially daunting, an internship can offer the best opportunity to develop as a creative. NN encourages question asking as you are surrounded by successful designers who have years of experience and knowledge. You could ask for tips, about their journey, where they have worked before, how they got where they are now, their activities outside the studio and who they admire in the industry. Your creative process may be enhanced by your time at an internship, LH explains how it has encouraged her to put more thought into the research process and has also helped her to realise that mood boards have a specific goal. An internship should also be used as an opportunity to learn about the stuff that you do not learn about in university, the financial side of Graphic Design. Ask those in the studio if you can witness the process that is undertook.
Basically work work work, you'll learn lots and make important connections. - LG
KNOWLEDGE
Away from any topic in particular the creatives shared some of their knowledge on the industry and blogging. Technology despite being a big part of Graphic Design, can also be a big obstacle in terms of creativity. Every time LG went on her phone whilst reading made her feel as though she had stifled the creativity and motivations that had built up from reading the book. As inspiring as the internet can, it can also do the opposite as it makes it easy to get caught up in other people’s lives on things like Instagram. So as a way to overcome this, LH recommends attending as many creative events as possible and . The outputs within Graphic Design change constantly and the technology and software’s we use are constantly adapting and so should you.
“You don’t need to know everything but have a basis and be willing to learn.” - LH
INSPIRATION
Ted Talks
Stefan Sagmeister the power of time off
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity
Why 30 is not the new 20
Takaharu Tezuka the best kindergarten you’ve ever seen
Articles
Letter to a junior designer – Elliot Dahl
The evolution process from a junior level designer to becoming a design lead – Taylor Short
Unconventional ways to become a better designer – Simran Jassal
Podcasts
Alt Ctrl Delete - Emma Gannon
One Girl Band - Lola Hoad
Design Life - Charli Marie & Femke
Design Matters - Debbie Millman
Books
The working woman’s handbook – Phoebe Lovatt
Little black book – Otehga Uwagba
An A to Z guide to being a freelance designer – Alan Long
Design your life – Vince Frost
Oh sh*t what now? – Craig Oldham
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