Task 5: Proposed Position Statement

1. At this moment in time, I am still familiarising myself with all the different areas of Graphic Design and I don't want to close off any opportunity to better myself in those other areas. While keeping those options open, there are two areas that I am especially committed to becoming an expert in. These areas are editorial design and design for sustainability.

2. The very main value I have and would like to keep within my design practice is sustainable graphic design. Its not so much an area of Graphic design but more like a principle. I would still like to be able to apply this 'principle' to all my other work, whether its editorial, typographic, print or web-based.

3. In these past years I feel that I have gained knowledge in many different fields of graphic design becoming a more versatile designer. And I would like to continue to improve myself in those areas. Even though there are certain aspects of graphics in which I would like to specialise in more than others I would still like to be able to advertise myself as a diverse designer to clients.

4. After looking at the different design studios and agencies. I have decided that I have no preference in the size of the company I would like to work for. As long as they have the same kind of values as I do. I would really like to work for a design company that is environmentally and socially conscious.

5. The need to stand out is important as I will competing against so many other designers graduating from all over the country. Therefore when I graduate I would like to have a portfolio that shows my commitment to my beliefs and that I have become an expert in my fields of interest.

6. Although a smaller firm would be more close knitted and perhaps a friendlier working environment. I feel that as a designer starting out I would like to work for a company that is full of experienced designers and resources who will be able to help me develop into a well informed and inspired designer. For example ,Celery Design with offices in London and Paris, they are fully committed in designing for sustainability and educating others to help the environment.

7. After Graduating from this course I will be enrolling to do a masters degree in business and marketing. I believe that having both knowledge relating to the practical part of this profession and the business part would benefit me and my future employers. I hope that I will be able to apply my business skills in order to help improve my practice.

8. I'm a great believer in simplicity and that is shown through my designs. I like simple and minimalistic work that can effectively communicate my message without all the superfluousness. However, I would still like be able to show clients that I can be a diverse and flexible designer in terms of style and therefore would like to be able to show this through my portfolio.

9. So far, I have acquired skills in many of the adobe software . I am fully competent with Adobe Illustrator having worked with it on a daily basis throughout my studies, and previous internship. I am also familiar with Adobe Photoshop and Indesign and can work comfortably with these programmes. And I have started learning to use Adobe After Effects and designing for digital media and becoming more interested in design for screen.

10. I would like to gain a better understanding in editorial design and of the design publishing process, from idea generation to print production, as well as other aspects of magazine publishing house. I hope to observe and learn about the different processes designers go through before producing work for clients.

Doopla Designer Collective

http://www.dooplacollective.com/

• multi disciplinary
• typography
• conceptual
• but not sustainable
• some nice illustration with conventional type
• creative 'about' > makes them stand out . makes you this what kind of designers work in this studio

Purpose : London

http://www.purpose.co.uk

• a lot of editorial
• printed media including asdvertising
• london
• really nice style of editorial work
• they use lots of photography which is not one of my specialty but it would still be really good to learn
• I dont think I will be emailing them as I dont think this is the most appropriate studio for me to contact

Studio Makgill

They have some really nice branding which I really like and also , Their mission ' thought before action'. They also design quite a wide range of print design including billboards and a lot of editorial design.

I know its not a sustainable Graphic design but I think that it would also be a good idea for me to contact them anyway. They may not be interested in the environment but I'm still interested in becoming a good designer.

http://www.studiomakgill.com/

Task 4: Who else is out there-how good are they ?

Who am I competing against?

Other graduating Graphic Designer students from all over the country. Also other Graphic Designers looking for new jobs


What do they offer?

Some of the these competing Graphic designers may have had more experience than me. Those who have already practiced as a designer in the real world obviously has experience as their advantage. Many graduating Graphic designers would have had at least one or two work experience. Apart from that.



What makes me better/ different?

First of all, other than the enterprise module that we have been doing at the Art college ( which I don't think many other colleges do) I will be doing a masters degree in MBA after I graduate from this college. Therefore I will have a more extensive knowledge about marketing and businesses which could become a huge advantage to my potential employers. The Leeds college of art and design provides students with facilities that not many other colleges do and I have had the chance to familiarize myself with many of those facilities. Eg. Letter press, a great print and digital resources.

One of my values in my design practice is sustainable Graphic Design. Some agencies/ companies seeks designers who are environmentally and socially responsible.

Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of 3 design agencies

BEAM-

The strengths of BEAM agencies are that the studio is based in central London, which is in the heart of many businesses. It should not be easy for them to gain clients. They are also committed to designing with concerns for the environment in their mind. This is an ethical company that also produces work of the highest quality. They also take on a wide range of jobs from print to interactive to environmental designs. Their weaknesses would be that they are quite a small firm, but this could be what they were looking for. Their printed designs are quite similar to each other, almost generic. So, I would say that many of their designs are quite save , but that could be exactly what the clients want thought.

Celery Design-

This is quite a big agency with two studios in California and Paris. So, this could be both a strength and a weakness. There will be different types of people working towards toward the same goal with the same values. However, a smaller agency, designers might be more close knitted while working with each other. They are also very committed in sustainable Graphic Design. One of their founders is actually the author of ‘ Green Graphic Design’ a well-known book that most sustainable Graphic Designers would have read. The agency’s work is of the highest quality, especially with innovative sustainable designs. They’re very active a d involved. Lots of events and conferences etc. They are so focused on sustainable Graphic Design, naturally that would be a good thing. However, all their clients are all ‘green’ organizations and I am also really interested in layout and editorial designs but they don’t do very many of those.

Firebelly-

A design agency based in central Chicago. This is also quite a large agency I think but not as big as Celery design. One strength that I feel really strongly about as it directly relates to me is that they have a large section on their website about internships and how to apply etc. this shows that they welcome young students to be a part of their practice and giving us a chance to experience the real industry. They have a wide range of clients as well which is great for networking etc. I’m finding it quite hard to find weaknesses by just looking at their websites. So far, I feel like may be the agency gives off a bit of cooperate and generic feeling. A less carefree one but perhaps that’s not a bad thing?

To evaluate, there are many opportunities available to me but I will competing against so many other graduating and already practicing Graphic Designers. From looking at these design agencies, some are more vocal about their interest in taking internships. And some of them, a bigger agency than the other might also be more interested in accepting younger less experience designers as they will have more capabilities and resources to accept new young designers. All of these agencies are very committed to sustainable Graphic design. I need to make sure that I show them that I am also committed in the same values that they are in order for the 'opportunities' to present themselves. In order to stand out from the other competing designers, my portfolio will need to consist of a wide range of design works with different media. I have had the advantage of the facilities provided by the Leeds college of art such as, a great digital and print resources. We are able to build a strong portfolio showing our capabilities to work with a range of media ( some, others have had not the opportunity to ) and this is what will make me stand out from the rest. Lastly, although these agencies are quite big already and will have extensive knowledge in marketing and businesses, they might still see my degree in MBA as an advantage for their company especially compared to other young designers like me without such knowledge. Along with the right portfolio that shows my commitment in sustainable graphic design I hope that an opportunity to work in one of these firms or firms like these will present themselves.

Task 3: How will I promote myself

I this task I want to focus on two possible groups of potential clients. One is Graphic Design studios who may be my potential employers or if I was working as a free lance Graphic Designer, a group of people who may want to hire me to design for them. ( non-profit organization, ones to do with sustainability and they may be looking for a designer)

In the last task I focused on one Graphic Design firm, BEAM

This is their mission statement


To evalute ' How will I promote myself'

I believe that the client group would want to hear that I am a fresh young Graphic Designer who can bring in new engaging vibrant work. I can provide them with a different perspective and this may help their work to stand out. I would also let them know that I am very committed in sustainable Graphic Design and this is one of the reasons why I seek them. ( and other Graphic Design studios like them ) Using the 'communication mix' I would try and get my work into as many exhibitions as possible. The art college offers many opportunities for design students to show case their work. Many young designers put on joint exhibitions of their work. Then we can advertise these events through the college, who have many visiting Graphic Designers, firms, etc. I have my own blog and will need to create a personal website which also links to my blog. But on my website, there would be my portfolio of my selected work. The portfolio will show the kind of work I have been creating and this will show my potential clients/ employers of my commitment in sustainable Graphic Design. ( as many of my work at the end of my 3rd year will be concerned with sustainable Graphic Design). I wouldn't be using direct mails as one of the methods to get my work/name out there as this may look contradictory to my beliefs. I think that my main method of getting myself out there would be online. ( websites, online social network) I could also try and get my work into magazines, especially design magazines. Many of them have ' green' issues or features on the environment. Eg. IdN magazine recently had a 'green' issue where they featured many young upcoming designers who are environmentally committed. Also, networking events could be something that is beneficial to me. Perhaps ones that are concerned with the environment or those of non-profit organizations. Many organizations will need a designer to either do their branding on promotional work. I could even offer to may be take a job ( perhaps the first one ) for free, that way I am building up a CV and portfolio showing my commitment to my values.

Root Studio

Root studio

'

ALthough this is a sustainable Graphic design studio but I really dont like any of their work. I thought that I would put this on my blog as well. I want to show both the type of design I am interested in and the type of design that I am not such a big fat off.

I think that their design is quite mainstream and 'popuar' but its not the kind of Graphic design I would like to be producing.