Jack Renwick
Jack started the after life session by talking about herself and the projects she has worked on. She is on board members and all the other things she has worked on. The most useful part of the project was how she talked about to tips on working on projects it was really useful to hear from a project wise the things that she suggests we should do. The first tip she said was
Keep it simple: which is the hardest thing you do
They gave examples of works how they created really simple visuals by merging symbols and photographs together.
Get under your skin
She underlined you should always do your homework and you cant solve the problem if you don’t know the problem.
She gave an example on a project about selling property – fish island in London which was really good way to undeestand what she means by it.
Make it different
Sh egave an example of using woods and other materilas to create projects which was really inetresting as it;s not all jus tdiigtal and being practival is always good too.
Don’t be precious
She sai just take it on the chin and to solve a problem she said don’t just go onto pinterest or research visual language. She said do field research like if it’s about football then research into fans what do they like what do they wear go into a context research. She said the client turned around one day and said I don’t wanna be about football he said he wants all sports and not just footballs. Again they responded to it by y refining it and created a characters rather then just a mark related to football. I think this showed me you can solve the problem by just refining or working with what you have as you have the underlying research anyway. She said don’t be precious really shit happens it can be disappointed and you can waste time, it was can hard lesson you have to pick yourself up and get on with it. Take your learnings and move on
Opportunity in everything: don’t just work on something that is cool work on a new opportunity.
Turnip why would someone buy the product thats what they focused on they do taste good. was because of the farmers knowledge of the land and the through research and history. Through the farmers knowledge and the expertise thats why the project was better than others. They created visuals based on the fields where the farmers are based. They build the visual language base don the expertise and once you have the visual language you can brand up different outcomes . Cost effective way such as business cards, thinking through challenged such as money they didn’t have much money through logo and graphic identity they can reproduce it in many ways through graffiti and other cheap options. They also mentioned a shop they saw the opportunity to sell the products in the shop so using the identity they can quickly make the branding and take the company into new direction. They also adppated to covid so covid hit the shop and they thought how could they adapt the job they helped them build a website with photographers and make sure they can sell their costumers.
Overall it was really amazing to lsiten to Jack as we watched her in second year in London confererance and she had a huge inights and advices to us so I am glad she was able to talk to us and share her knowledge.
MICHAL C PLACE
He started by talking about his journey and how he started to be interested in graphic design and this was mostly related his love for music. He said he could run really fast he enjoyed art and did loads of technical drawings and then he said his teachers introduced him to graphic design. He showed us the album covers he did such as ACDA and other albums he found really interesting. It was all about music for him and he was into creative arts music and going from heavy metal. It was about strong typography and visuals for him, it was very raw and different aesthetic.
He applied for a diploma in graphic design in York college a two year course, and this is his time where he really into much more sophisticated typography but typogra[hy was something he was fascinated by. He suggested the book bordy. He said he discoevred rod Clarke he said it wa his turning point he designed underground before and it was swiss punk graphic design. It was blending two styles together he was so fascinated as he was not interested in pretty design he loved the idea of everything and anything expressive.
From York he went to newcastle he said it was a difficult course to get in, but really hated it it didn’t work for him. He realised his into slightly left field part of design not commercial design.
his first job after uni was with Trevor Jackson. who he described as a really interesting guy, who dabbled in loads of things. and he helped him with making designs for record covers.
“do good work for good people” he said this in the talk and I found it really inspiring, it really sits well with me because that is also something i believe in and his stories about travelling with his wife and then coming back opening a studio with a small group creating a small world to produce good design. I think it shows the different paths you can go and the journey of finding your passion for graphic design.
James Greenfield | Studio Koto
He started the talk by saying he doesnt just want to show his portiflio but this process and show us the honest side of the process not everything is neat and perfect. He showed us all the works hes done but also a lot about studio koto.
Koto has 50 people working for them and theres variety of different skills from photographers to digital designers and authors. He mentioned the things they focus on koto which is envision, design and build brands. The three steps is their process to work in a project. He showed us the well established companies they worked for and then moved onto the meaning of koto, he mentioned years ago he got sent this article written by Kenya Hara and it said we need more koto no mono and koto means experice of something the value of something rather than just the visual aesthetics she said graphic designers can sometimes just focuses on making it look pretty but in Koto they focus on the experience and the value. He mentioned works such as Joe Wix as he has become e hero in lockdown getting everyone to do exercise in lockdown and they rebranded his brand and he mentioned how this a very clear example of good design as its more than aesthetic but focused enthusiasm and passion for fitness as he has always had these values. They rebranded his identity which means it can be reproduced in other formats and digital or prints.
Koto has 50 people working for them and theres variety of different skills from photographers to digital designers and authors. He mentioned the things they focus on koto which is envision, design and build brands. The three steps is their process to work in a project. He showed us the well established companies they worked for and then moved onto the meaning of koto, he mentioned years ago he got sent this article written by Kenya Hara and it said we need more koto no mono and koto means experice of something the value of something rather than just the visual aesthetics she said graphic designers can sometimes just focuses on making it look pretty but in Koto they focus on the experience and the value. He mentioned works such as Joe Wix as he has become e hero in lockdown getting everyone to do exercise in lockdown and they rebranded his brand and he mentioned how this a very clear example of good design as its more than aesthetic but focused enthusiasm and passion for fitness as he has always had these values. They rebranded his identity which means it can be reproduced in other formats and digital or prints.
The next part was focused on branding, which is something I am interesting in but I do like working outside of the corporate graphic design But he was really honest and he showed me branding can also be meaningful and ethical. He said branding is all about what do people say about your brand, what to they think and how can branding help you with your reputation. He said ideas can change everything and he didn’t realise that when he was back in college. He was being really honest and focused on he wants to now show the power of graphic design branding and what our work can do how to get people to engage more so they understand this practice. He used examples from Airbnb, Patagonia and Nike. He said they never talk about he physical things they sell or products but the underlying things such as the stories, human feelings, their values.
James told us his story about education and the start of his career, he struggled at the first 6 months of his career losing education. his first job in 2002 and which was not his plan and his design aesthetic and it was a different experience and he had ot reinvent his perception and all his experience shaped his career.
He said he realised this in couple years layer with this qyote his explains what it is. He said we always see perfect works on pinterest and other behance etc. He said in education he would get good grades he did the projects he eanted but then in jobs he couldnt produce the things he wanted to do and it showed him the real side.
I think this part of the talk taught us a lot about after uni, we might not be able to get jobs we all love or fits perfectly into our style but it is all about experience and learning. I liked how honest he was and all the designers that came up it was all perfect works but the hard process is never really shown.
I loved this talk and it was a really long but full of knowledge I wasn’t making notes because i was just too focused into his knowledge and advices really. I always liked branding but James showed me the more human side of it rather than just pretty logos menus or posters it can be much more than that. I would love to work in Koto and get more experience in branding.
Maris Latham
Maris graduated back in 2019 and she told her us experience for the past couple of years and also her struggles due to the Covid 19. It was really nice seeing her talk and I remember i would see her in first year she did out introduction and answered our questions so it was a very weird moment like time flies now im graduating. She said she doesn’t have a lot of work experience but she can tell her process and the things she went through since she graduated which I think is really valuable for us. She shared her journey and tips, to start with how everyones path is different.
She said you think it’ll be easy from like A TO B and when you go uni you’ll graduate and get a a job or you’ll know what you want to do but it is quite different. She said the reality is everyone will be on different paths, some may have got a job now or some may want to do master or somem might not even want to do graphics. It’s all different and she said its okay to have different paths.
She said design industry is huge and theres so many different opportunities and its all trying to work out what you want to work for and you’ll figure it out with time. She said the main advice she can give us don’t compare yourself and your path can be different.
She mentioned how she wants ready to graduate and she liked being in education but luckily once she graduated she got a internship at Golley Slaters for 6 weeks and she mentioned how she always had an eye out for opportunities she wasn’t actively looking but still wanted to see what was out there. She also suggested take a break and reflect. She said it is okay to take some time off and reflect on yourself and your journey. However she got a internship straightaway in Clout for few weeks and she said it was very beneficial for her. She then saw a application in cowshed and applied for it but they wanted 2 years experience but she only just graduated. so she thought theres no chance,
she said don’t be afraid just because you don’t match up to all requirements doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply, whats the worse that can happen? you never know what will come from it and she applied to cow shed and she got the job offer so it is a great example of how being brave and just going for it just shows it can lead to something good. It is clear example and it shows how we being brave.
Maris also talked about her struggling with thinking and overthinking about jobs and how she felt like a failure because she wasn’t doing all the things she thought she would or seeing other people do things made her feel like failure. She realised she needed a break, I think this is so honest and relatable. Having so many expectations and not being able to meet them yet can feel disappointing but there is time for it. She said all the pressure was getting to her and the design industry was too much. Its the notion of we always see the best designers and to design studios is also good but just because your in there doesn’t mean your bad or whats the point its a journey.
She also adviced make sure you know your values and what you want to create which is very important I think.
i found this really inspirational and honest, as I always think about will I able to work in those studios or will i get there like Jack Renwich or other designers that came and spoke to us. It is all a journey and a process.
Gavin Leisfield
Gavin was one of my favourite as he was so honest and friendly with us. He showed us his works and his process really – Friendly giants studio. they are founded by two friends and he loves the creative side and his other partner is the planner. Gavin was free lancing for ages and he said we tried to do something to do. “Fill the world with better stories” and foster young designers. The studio worked for three years and they already worked in Netflix, virgin, bb and itv etc.
Gavin talked about how he was born in middle of no where in Australia and how it was the 80s in middle of no where no internet or connection to the outside world. He said he his passions are art and puppets when he was younger and thats how he spent his time. He then moved onto work and he worked in hotel sector, and then call centre and all other random jobs. He said they weren;t related to what he wanted to do but he just jumped at every opportunity. He also then worked in accounting in Amsterdam and he started doing excel sheets for telecoms company.
He then realised I want to be creative and he bought an imac, he had no idea how to use it or how to work it so he said it just sat there for three years. But along the way he met creatives from the industry. He became a business manager for a studo and learnt how to use flash. He was also doing a course in screenwriting in amsterdam which he said was so exciting and fun.
He then moved back to London to find a job as a screenwriter but he said it was too competitive and didn’t pay well. He di loads of other jobs and then turned 30 which was I believe his turning point as its so weird when other designers come they have this gift and they know exactly what they need to do and they land on a job whereas Gavin is like a person who struggles and finds his own path slowly which is so nice to see and I found him really honest and down to earth. He questioned what am i doing or what am i going to do with my life so he gave him couple of weeks to figure it out. From there he landed his first real job in Dare, a digital agency. He said he knew some flash and said it was really exciting making digital media because at that time it all felt so new and magical. He ended up being the head of animation. Then he wanted to do something different and started animating music videos to build his portfolio. He then went into post production with his knowledge on working on music videos. He tried directing etc and then started freelance after a long chat. he landed his first big job ITV rebrand in 2012 and he was responsible for all on air team. He was rebrandng all channels and all programs, the rebrand won awards and he said he really loved working for this project.
He said doing all the works and he spoke to his friend and set up a company called Littlehawk, rebranding doctor who and showed us all the final images.It was a 9 month project and i think the visuals looked amazing. They also worked with clients such as bbc studios, britbox, lego dots making a tv campaign. Then during this process he ended littlehawk, he started a new studio with the friend he works now and he never liked the name littlehawk so he questioned his values and figured out what does he want to do and came up with the name friendly giants. I really like that name and i think it suits Gavins personality. He talked about projects and clients but especially GO APE project he went down every step which is very interesting as most designers showed the end results but Gavin showed up the research stage, mood boards they created initial signs then developments it was like working with them.
I think this talk was very helpful and eye opening to the fact that everyone has a different path and a different route they follow but if they want to do something they will do it at the end and all the other random jobs or experiences will help them along the way. Gavin was so friendly and warm we also got to speak with two of the graduates from met and they talked about their experience and how the process was for them. I think overall it was a really good talk which i am glad i joined and got to listen to Gavins experience and journey both about the practice but also his personal journey.
Common Curiosity
Common curiosity is a multi discipline studio which work on brand print design and space design. Both of the designers work in different cities which I found really interesting, one of them is in London and then Birmingham. They were formed in 2017 and they have worked with big and small agencies since then such as Google and Royal mail in the past.
They said they are a very small studio with two people, this is because they want to stay close to their clients, be selective over the work they pick to work on and have a strong relationship with their client and also not lose anything in the translation as communication is really important between designers.
They talked about designs that should have a meaning and story telling he said meaning makes things memorable. He said we see loads of pretty designs on social media but we scroll past and forget about it. This really made me think because thats all i have worked on this final year to produce work that has a meaning and a story at the end to tell people. Meaningless but pretty designs are good but we should also be able to we should be able to explain why you are choosing that colour, that typeface, that layout as having a reason does make your work stand out. They said reason and meaning is very important for their studio, he gave the example of kilder. They said key to good design is just be a sponge and take as much as you can knowledge and information and then turn this into powerful design. They also said dont always rely on digital start with your brain and pen pencil they can get out ideas in purist form that idea can change due to style and other things. Always start with your brain and pen, always do your research but they said dont always follow trends and you should aim to set the trends.
I think this talk was so interesting they were designers who had great tips for us after uni and how to approach design process. They were down to earth designers who you can tell they are so passionate about producing good things that reflect their passion and values.
They gave really useful tips for us and I hope I can use it once I graduate to find jobs.
One of the things they highlighted was importance of experimentation and they even showed an image of them experimenting with logo and typeface their Kilder project. It was amazing to see their process and experimentation which shows the level that is needed to work in a studio. They said this process is really important they say take a side step turn it on its head just keep doing it. I really loved this talk and I it was very inspirational to hear their journey, works and tips for us.
Gareth Dunt
a graduate from CSAD, he graduated in 2010 then went onto various things. He shared his journey to Cardiff and what he’s done after Cardiff. He wanted to give us tips and tricks to show us his path.
He firs began with his journey to graphics and the things he was interested which was graffiti and art. He saw this poster one day by Stefan Sagmeister and it made him see a different world about typography, he realised this type of art has no rules and it was so different to what he was being taught in school. He then had interest installations and typography. He then told us after his life after univeristy which i found the most useful and he was really honest and brutal about his experiences. He told us his struggles in london which was good to hear as many peope dont really talk about the challenges. He said after he graduated he went straight into work 2 dayd later, he had a placement in elmwood for 3 months and he was mentored my Mike Smith. He then didnt get a perminant job and found a small placement in Kin studio in london for 2 weeks working on exhibitions. The next job he had was in Danziel and Pow which he was producing work he didnt want to, it was a very fashion dominated studio and he was doing work for primark which didnt fit into his interest and he said he didnt feel happy. He said something I found really inspirational it was “felt like I was part of the problem” because he was in fast fashion he thught he was contrubuting to consumerim and the “buy buy buy” graphic ddesign. He showed his in the presenytation and i really found it inspirational. It sums up and maybe at some point i may feel like that in my profesional practivce so i was really eager to see what he had done in this situation.
To solve this problem he wanted to unplug and reassess his values buy leaving everything behind and going to Thailand. Once he came back he did more freelance and was doing this things he was passionate about. This really taught me how important it is to put your happiness first and not just focus on the money or the title of the job. He was very inspirational leaving a job behind to try figure out what he likes.
He also mentioned many projects and one of the things that stood out to me as the Boxport Croydon the posters were so beautiful and I really loved the typeface. He also gave us many portfolio tips
- Good idea with good execution
- start with cv
- practice what you preach
- less is more
- build a narrative
- be honest
- include self initiated work
- proofread and spellcheck everything many times
Busra Yildiz 