Panaz Healthcare Catalogue

For the last 6 months I have been working at Panaz, a textile design house just outside of Manchester! I've had a fantastic time here, but my contract is ending soon and I'm looking forward to moving on. While I've been here, I've worked on a number of big projects, including two 140+ page catalogues from start to finish. This was a bigger task than I could ever have imagined and a huge learning curve in printing, photoshop and proofreading!

This catalogue is for the Healthcare sector within the business, but I also did the Hospitality catalogue which is much more high spec. Unfortunately, this is only just going in to proofing stages so it will be a while before I get the finished article in my hand!

Out of Schools Exhibitions

A few weeks ago through my work as a student ambassoder I helped to curate and hang an exhibition currently showing at the Holden Gallery in MSA.  The exhibition, called Out of Schools, included work from children all over Manchester from as young as 3 all the way up to GCSE and A -Level coursework.  This was a lot of fun and we found some fantastic work done by the kids.  The work is up until tomorrow so come and have a look!

I designed and artworked the banner and invites for the event - my first 'official' paid design job!

                                  

                                  

                                  

                                  

                                  

                                     

                               

                               

                               

                                   

                                      

                                         

Over the weekend I also worked at the Children's literature festival and helped with a workshop run by the artist and typographer Stephen Raw in which children painted and decorated their own letters which we attached together to form a giant banner reading of one of Carol Anne Duffy's poems.  We hung the finished banner in the Holden galley and I have to admit the results were quite impressive!

Website

As we only have two weeks to go today (Eeek!) I am starting to think about rounding up all the little things that need to be done.  I still have two projects to round up (slash do) but fingers crossed should have plenty of time to finish.

One big task was my website, which has needed finishing for a while now.  It's taken quite a while, and been through 3 different design over haul's, but now it's finally ready!  See it here.  It took me ages to sort out all the images and decide what to put on there.  I've still got a couple of projects to add and there's a few design tweaks I'm having trouble with (main image needs to be centred, more of a margin between the menu lists and borders etc) but I will have to wait for some trusty advice from Chris for that.  In the mean time I finally have a respectable website as a result of the web workshops with Chris which I am very happy with!  These workshops were one of the best things about this term, and I'm so glad I was given and took this opportunity in the end.

Fairwell journal!

This year I decided to approach my journal differently.  It's the first year that I really felt like I understood exactly what it is they were looking for.  After seeing Libby's journal and that she got 85% for it, I felt this was a great opportunity to pick up marks and as I really enjoyed doing it, that's a bonus.  I decided to tackle the journal as more of a brief, a design problem.  Although they said that they don't mark design itself, this is what we do for a living so I think it's important to make it look nice, and as it's the last year I wanted something I was proud of and could keep.  

So, most of my design decisions were based around making it accessible and as easy as possible to navigate, highlighting the links between different things.  I did separate bitesize books for each section, with titles down the edge of the pages so it could be 'flicked through'.  Then I used fold out pages so that I could show the key points clearly, meaning the tutors don't have to read the full write up to see the significance of that topic, with the in depth writing underneath.    

As my cover, I decided to use an image I took from the studio, which is where I've spent most of my time this year and also to represent getting out into the big wide world.  I designed a rating calender overview type thing of the whole year also on the poster for a quick summery that could be folded out and viewed alongside the books to help contextualise the year.

I have put a lot of work into this journal, going all out for the final year, but was careful not to neglect my other work or spend too much time on it.  However, the journal is worth half of our practical work this term so I think it's worth the extra effort!  I think I might even miss doing the journal when we leave, dare I say it!


                                           

Portfolio Crit: Craig Oldham

My 3rd portfolio crit was at Music with Craig Oldham.  I sneaked in on this one as there was a cancellation going, the more the merrier I thought.  The crit was in Music's lovely office (although located in the middle of nowhere I got totally lost!) This crit was a mix or reviews about work and the approach to the agency.

The tips Craig went through about approaching a company were really useful.  Most of them seem so obvious, I really thought I wouldn't have problems on this front and didn't need advice, but he made a few points I hadn't thought of and it's just great to have a little check list to always make sure I've remembered everything.

1.  Never ask for a job or a placement, just ask for advice.  It's a lot more difficult to refuse someone face to face.
2.  Always give a sample of your best work, but don't give away everything otherwise there'll be nothing left to show.  It's nice to put a link to your website, simple and easy way to let people choose how much they want to see.
3.CV's are only really important if you've had work experience or freelance work.  As for a covering letter approach, try not to repeat the CV and consider just writing it in the email? Don't go overboard on describing what you do - if your a designer people know what this is and will get a better idea from your work than any description.
4. Be humble and flatter.  Tell them you know how busy they are and appreciate their time, always say thank you and try to make it personal.
5.  Always make sure your approaching the right person whose in charge of student placements.  You can ring and find out before hand, find out how they'd like to be contacted and always check up on your application.

When it came to the work crit I didn't get the reaction I have from other people.  I went last and so felt a bit rushed when presenting as he was clearly running out of time.  He questioned something on almost every project, not something I was particularly phased by as I was able to fight my corner with the reasons behind my choices, but it was a little off putting.  He said I should iron out the layouts and just work on making them all conform, something I have already done but didn't want to print until I'd had feedback from everyone so that was good advice.  He ended by saying it was a good book, although I felt a bit like I hadn't got as much from him as the others and was a bit down hearted.

Never the less, I learned a lot from him so I'm glad I went.  One thing that has come from all these portfolio crits is a massive boost in confidence, some people will love your work, some people won't, but if you're confident in what you do then someone, one day, will be on board with that!

Portfolio Crit: Adrian Shaugnessy

My 4th portfolio crit was on Thursday afternoon with legend Adrian Shaugnessy.  I have met him once before when I asked him to sign his book for me after the lecture he gave us in second year.  As it was my 5th (counting James Greenhow) portfolio crit over the last few weeks I felt well practised and ready to impress.  He asked us to get in touch with him before hand and left an address and email.  I chose to email him with my CV and covering letter.  The crit was about our presentation and how we approached Adrian, rather than our work, so it was a nice balance compared to all the others I've attended.

Adrian firstly agreed with Craig Oldham in that it is important to include a sample of work when you approach someone to give them a taste of what you do.  He liked the idea of handwriting the envelope, with a name on rather than just an address.  He said this was a personal and more considered approach and meant he was more likely to open it.  I suppose I should have really made the effort to post something as well as email, always a double whammy and they are more likely to remember you.  When I leave in June it will be vital to go the extra mile to get attention.

When we got down to the presentation itself, he made more overall comments about us all.  He really appreciated the fact myself and Maaya presented our books right too him rather than too ourselves or the rest of the group (admittedly a little tip we picked up from Alison who saw him in the morning).  I have to say that I thought I would have done this anyway, but after he said no one so far had, I wondered if I would have done?

He mentioned a few people had had to over explain some of their projects which probably meant they hadn't made them clear enough in the portfolio.  Although he didn't say that to me, it is something I am always conscious of as my work is quite conceptual.  I have concentrated hard on making my portfolio as clear as possible.  

The main point that he ended on was that everyone you meet is a potential job interview and a contact that you should always follow up.  Even if you don't get anything out of it other than a meeting, you can then always keep in touch with this person for advice and an update.  It's got me thinking that perhaps I should get back in touch with a few of the contacts I made in London and arrange a trip down their soon!

He also said he liked Belle's portfolio because it stood out from the rest.  He liked single sheets that could be handled and passed around and certainly hers looked very professional.  Although I don't think that approach is suitable for a more advertising based portfolio, I have been told many times by creative directors that they're looking for the work and want it to be simple to navigate and look at.  It has given me that extra push to invest in a new portfolio before the end of term and get it printed on better paper!

Thanks Adrian!

James Greenhow: portfolio crit

On Monday afternoon I got my chance to speak to James Greenhow and take him through my portfolio.  It was another great portfolio crit! I got some great feedback on my projects, he described my work as very varied which is good, and said I had a knack for executing intelligent ideas very clearly and simply so they had an immediate impact on the viewer.  This was a great compliment!  He again liked my Stonewall project ( brownie points for leaving it in again!) and although he agreed with Love that perhaps it would work better with photographs, he said it showed off my skills in designing round a restriction in the brief and thought it was very creative.

All these portfolio crits have been great practice for June when we leave, they've certainly boosted my confidence massively - I have to admit it is so great to finally sit there and have people validate and commend your work when we spend so much time having it criticised and ripped to shreds.  I also feel I am taking the time to really scrutinise the layout, order and presentation of my portfolio which I think can only come from going through it time and time again with people.  I have a few changes I will make for the June hand in and leaving based on how I know i've felt when flicking though it which I hope will make that extra difference.

So 3 down, 2 to go, tomorrow I have sneaked into a spare spot at Music and have Adrian at Unit Editions!

Love Creative

Today I had my second portfolio crit with Love Creative and the creative director Phil, and Chris Myers, another creative. I have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, as Love are number one on my list for a placement when I leave. I have been aspiring to work like theirs ever since we were given the little brown velvet books in first year.

After a crazy rush to print one last sheet off of work that i'm doing right now (broken hard drives and forgotten cables meant a very late noght and early morning), I turned up at their office nice and early. The office was exactly like I anticipated, full of lovely things and funky furniture.

Anyway, back to the important bit! Phil and Chris were really friendly, so we got off to a great start. They flicked through my book while I talked about each project. I felt like we got a good conversation going and had a lot to talk about. They were very positive about my work and liked my book a lot. They commented on the fact that my panic and silence briefs were very random, but I explained this was the nature of the experimental and open briefs and they said the thinking behind them was still interesting to see. Chris really loved the idea of my Stonewall brief (which incidentally was the one Jonny Hardstaff commented on as weaker) although he advised that I could re-present the postcards using photographs instead of the drawings now that I am not restricted by the copywrite rules of the brief.

What I realised overall (apart from how nice it is to be praised) was how important it is to stick with the work that you feel confident with - just because one person doesn't like it doesn't mean another person won't love it! It gave me confirmation of which briefs to keep in and which to take out when it comes to leaving with my book in June. I know what kind of work I want to do and I need to reflect this as much as possible, but without compromising the variety and range of my skills. There is always my website to display work which doesn't make it into the book but is still relevant.

As Chris closed my book, he commented that it wasn't really a design portfolio (which was a good thing for them), and I was pleased with this as I do not call myself a designer and I do not want to be a designer!

Self Promotion

For ages I have been thinking of an idea for my self promotion. I didn't want to do a logo as that is not one of my strengths in design, my initials are a bit boring to work with. I was having difficulty thinking of something that represented what I do and how I want to be seen out in the real world, when I finally thought about this idea. I wanted to get across that my work relies heavily on research and concepts, that I enjoy all aspects of a brief from the beginning to the end and I can turn my hand to many different things. Hence Left Brain Right Brain! This shows two different sides of the business card, reflecting different sides of the brain. And there was the added bonus of it looking like a speech bubble!

I am really pleased with this idea and design, which i'm going to put across my website, portfolio and CV. I'll be sending these to John in the Litho print before the degree show!

Blooming lovely

I made these cards for easter as I was really to poor to buy easter eggs for everyone =)

Come on spring weather, where are you!?

Jonny Hardstaff portfolio crit

Today I had my portfolio crit with Jonny. I spent yesterday afternoon re-doing my portfolio to make sure I was happy with it. I didn't think that I had enough projects to fill it out, as I haven't yet finished anything I was happy with this term, but it turned out I had 6. I tried not to think too much about how I was laying it out- I just wanted it to be simple and clear. I feel my portfolio presentation was not as good as I hoped it would be for the January hand in, and looking back I can see where I went wrong. I put quite a lot of thought into editing down the images and text and making sure I presented the bare minimum that I needed to put across the projects.

Jonny's approach was very different from Ian's from what I've heard. He was a lot more interested in the portfolio itself, the work you'd done and chosen and how it reflected you and what you wanted to do in the future. I think this bode well for me as I have put a lot of time and effort this year into choosing the right projects and working on things that play to my strengths.

After listening to the first two crits I have to admit I was a little more nervous than I was when I went in - He wasn't mean but quite brutal (although it was all constructive and he made a point of drawing out the good things and potential), and I have never felt totally confident with my portfolio, mainly because I would work on a project and feel really pleased with it, then get negative feedback in my marks that I couldn't really understand until I could reflect back, by which time my confidence was knocked.

However, I could not have prepared myself for how positive Jonny was! He was so enthusiastic about my work, and seemed to love all my projects (the ones he picked out as slightly weaker I would have taken out if I'd had anything to replace them with so I totally agreed with him). He had nothing negative to say at all - the only advice he gave me was to keep working towards that all time amazing wow project that will just blow people away! ''The project that can go out and pull all by itself and then come back and tell you about it'' so to speak. He also told me that I should consider applying to the Watford advertising course - run by Tony Cullingham, it's considered the best course in the country and a golden ticket into the industry. I found out about this course when I was in London from Dave Trott, and although I had thought about it, it is so difficult to get on I don't think I would have ever applied through lack of confidence. Jonny basically recommended I apply and thought I had a good chance of getting on, such encouraging words to hear!

I can't even describe how much it has boosted my confidence to finally have someone validate my work so enthusiastically. I know this line of work is so much based on opinion and personal taste, but I've felt up until now I've never had quite the response I've been hoping for from the tutors, and to finally get some recognition from someone like Jonny Hardstaff has just put me on cloud 9. Suddenly I feel excited about the rest of the term, and determined to better myself. I am also now going to act upon trying to get some work experience at Love, somewhere I've had my eye on for a long time and would love to go for a placement when we finish, and have been putting off because I didn't feel confident enough.

Thanks Jonny =)

Amsterdam

On wednesday my boyfriend and I packed our bags and sailed off to Amsterdam on a very cheap ferry deal! I have been once before when I was in 6th form, but we only went for the day and spent most of the time in galleries. I felt that I hadn't experienced all that the city had to offer!

This time I must sadly admit we did nothing cultural (apart from one photography gallery), but the weather was beautiful, although freezing the sun was shining right up until we left. This time I just soaked up the atmosphere, wandering the streets and relaxed for a couple of days, but I appreciated the city a lot more than last time.

I can't get enough of tall town houses, its a strange love of mine but I actually adore them - I can't wait to have enough money to live in a house like this. I first fell in love with them in Bath when I was about 10, and have dreamed of living in one ever since. The architecture in Amsterdam was just beautiful, higgeldy piggeldy but elegant and original. Looking in through some of the windows the rooms were so grand and light and lavishly decorated. Floor to ceiling windows and high ceilings everywhere!

I have never seen so many bikes in my whole life, there are literally thousands and thousands lining the streets in every space. Many of them weren't even locked up, they were just left on the side of the road or propped up outside houses. Crazy! They were all old fashioned rattly bikes too, no shiny new ones or mountain bikes, and everyone was riding them. I wish we could have better bike lanes in this country to make it easier for people to ride their bikes, every Europe city seems to have so many more bikes than we do and I think its a real shame! Its the best way to get around a city fast and easy and a great way to keep fit.

Last time I didn't go to the red light district, and I don't know what I was expecting really because I knew what it was like, but I was still shocked when we stumbled across it! Suddenly there are girls in their underwear everywhere trying to seduce you! haha, it was funny for a while, fascinating even, untill I saw an old man going into one of the cubicles and I heard the girl say 50. Then it was just a bit grose and freaked me out.

So now it's back to the slog and preparing for my review on Wednesday, feels like I haven't even been away already. Amsterdam has pushed its way up to one of my favourite cities I've visited =)

Degree show idea...

''What works wonders in the Now, is not the bomb or the bullet,

but the two humble objects: the hyphen and the word 'and'.

Northern Irish and British, Asian-English.''

My idea for the degree show came from the quote above I found during research for my current project. It is not a design or visual style, just an idea for the concept and name we could base the degree show on. It struck me that Design is such a multi-faceted disipline and each person on the course has their own unique style and ambitions, but in todays world people take on many roles and it is accepted that you don’t have to fit into one simple catorgory. We are not just designers, but communicators and artists/photographers and art directors and ideas-people, and also many of us feed lots of other parts of our lives into our design too. This name would be a celebration of all the sides of design and the variety of skills/job titles we will be graduating with as well as giving us a nice typographical name to play with and lots of scope to develop the concept/theme across the whole identity of the show.

Well I will present this on Tuesday along with everyone else and see what people think!

Valentines sale

I helped out on the second day of the Valentine's fundraiser in the Holdon Gallery and thankfully it was a lot more successful than the first day, we managed to raise over £200 all together! I made lots of chocolate hearts and wrapped them up in red netting and ribbon. I also ended up buying about 4 cakes myself during the day (it was pretty difficult to sit by them all day and not be tempted). By the end of the day all we had left was a few cards so it was a success all round!

Jumble Sale

We raised £102 in the end - a pity as we raised the first £85 on the first day alone. Friday was not busy at all, obviously a lot of people go home or don't have uni, but we've learned our lesson about Friday's now. There's some stuff left though so hopefully an opportunity to make some more cash, and every penny counts!

Christmas goodies!

This year I decided to make my own Christmas cards and a Christmas presents for my grandparents so I got in the letterpress workshop and the kitchen for lots of home made goodies!

I still can't believe there was snow on Christmas day!! picture perfect!