D&AD Education Day 08/02/2012

D&AD Education Day

Wednesday 08/02/2012

Showroom Cinema Sheffield

In association with Sheffield Hallam University

Steve Woodwat and Simon Morrow – guest speakers from Elmwood design agency Leeds

Transition from education to industry

5 things we’ve learned along the way

1) Be an expert for a day

You ordinarily gravitate towards briefs that interest you but in industry there is no choice on subject matter or brief. For example, Royal Mail briefed us with a project to celebrate the birthday of ‘wall boxes’ (not post boxes, but the one’s actually encased in brick) by incorporating them into stamps. For us it was a pretty dull brief to begin with, but once the research started to tend to immerse yourself in the subject matter and don’t realise you’re becoming a nerd on it. When you’re brand new to a subject you really need to spend some quality time on it because there will be actual nerds out there who know the subject matter inside out. Not only that, but get into the community and find out their responses, which are their favourite photographs of the boxes? Diving into subject areas where at first you may not be necessarily interested could produce outstanding results.

2) Take people with you

At university you do everything for yourself but taking clients with you on your creative journey and getting them to place their trust in you I very important. Bauer media wanted at rebrand, owned by an old German guy (Bauer, believe it or not) and he wanted to keep the old logo. It was a collateral job, bits of stationary and a website update. In the board room when they presented the idea to the suits they found themselves needing to gain their trust, how would they do that when they were wearing jeans and converse and the old suits were, well…suits. Stuck in old times they wanted to produce a powerpoint presentation to show clients when they were considering Bauer as a potential business venture. Elmwood however, proposed to do an animated movie and with no prior experience of the arena found it hard work trying to gain their trust. Yet once on board the journey with them and keeping them at the heart of communication even helping build the idea it became an easy sell. The client eventually became in love with the product before they had even seen it because they had been a part of that creative journey with the designers.

3) Design for humans

You need to start thinking of the real world implications of the designs you make, think of the life of the work beyond it being in the studio and the real audience’s perceptions. A charity rebrand for ‘People Can’ shows how the needs of the client and the client’s audience such as print quality and cost is essential. Keeping things down to Earth with a sense of humour and not being patronising is the safest bet. Do not design for designs sake but for a purpose.

4) It’s not about you

Naturally, people are protective about their designs but think about the idea of releasing things. Commercial writer Jim Davies wanted to produce a direct mail piece and sometimes your ideas need to be commissioned to others that specialise in that area. In this case, the illustrations for the piece were commissioned to illustrator Rob Guy and the guy who had the original idea basically sat back and let it materialise. It is hard to let your baby go but in this case the project was much better off having being let go, there are people out there who have real specialism’s to make your idea even better. Remember to let your guard down.

5) If it feels right do it

University trains you to be a really objective thinker but at the end of the day you still need to have an instinctive feel. Everyone has different ideas on artwork, one person will think its fab and the other crap. Sometimes its all about having the confidence in yourself and your abilities to run with it. The BBC ran a project with primary school children to try and beat the world record for the amount of plants planted in one day. The agency decided straight away that the design wouldn’t be ‘green’ friendly because that doesn’t interest kids. They’re not bothered by how many emissions they’re saving but are interested in having a cool place to sit in the sun, or somewhere to have a picnic or just somewhere for the dog to pee. It was essential to start thinking like a kid. And sometimes the first idea is the best and there’s nothing wrong with that, just explore other avenues before you start to run with it.

Getting your foot through the door

Placements – offer experience and is a brilliant way in

Find the right place – it is important to know that you end up working in the right place for you, not just that you are the right person for them

Find a name

Write a good email

Show interest/flattery

PDF portfolio

And remember that 50% of it is you and 50% of it is your portfolio

Be memorable, be a sponge and go for it

Don’t be disheartened if things don’t work out the chemistry just isn’t always there in every situation, luck will always play its part!

Elmwood agency here: http://elmwood.com/

Steve Woowat’s site here: http://www.woowat.com/

Simon Morrow here: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/simon-morrow/15/317/77a

Paul J Bartlett

Recently, I've been looking at The Fox is Black website and have compiled a sketchbook of work in hope of entering the re-covered competition for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Me being me, and struggling like a lemon, posted a few questions on the website and Paul Bartlett was considerate enough to guide me on the right path. (His submission is awesome by the way, how I think I stand a chance next to work like that I'll never know!)

As surprised as I was that somebody was so kind as to offer me some advice, and I was clearly inspired by his work, I decided to take a sneaky peek at his website. The quality of his work is obviously very high and this made me start thinking of the quality and finish on my work. Ok, he's been in the business now and had agency work for eight years, but still these things need to be put into perspective.

I made the decision to email him and congratulate him on his awesomeness (though coming from me means nothing really I guess) and to see if he would be available to take a look at some of my work for constructive feedback purposes. Again to my surprise, he replied - almost straight away too! His work does vary from mine; on his web presence 'about' section he describes himself as 'a freelance art director, designer, and illustrator with eight years of agency experience. I specialize in big ideas and thoughtful executions that make people take notice and feel something. If that sounds good to you, let's talk. I am able to work from my home studio or your place of business.' Not only does his work vary from mine, his confidence levels do too. And why not, he is a freelance artist in need of work like the rest of us.

Weighing this up, it shows that my confidence needs to rocket a few notches if I’m to make anything of this dog eat dog business. I think that this will happen by showcasing my work more though this is a catch 22 operation. I’m not confident enough to showcase my work, but it is only by showcasing my work and gaining some feedback (and hopefully some appraisals) will I be able to move forward and gain that confidence in the process. Additionally, the quality and finish of my work needs to be improved. Although I like the organic quality that some of my ‘rougher’ pieces offer, some of them need a good polish. For example there are a few pieces I have uploaded to my website which need a polish, ragged edges and patches which could use a rubber etc. But most importantly, I need to stop comparing my work and my working method to others. I’m finally starting to find my way of working, so I need to wear some blinkers for a while to stop me wanting to imitate others ways of working which I sometimes feel look more aesthetically pleasing compared to mine. Paul Bartlett’s work is fantastic, but he is clearly more of a photographer, whereas I am more of a collager and stitcher, the two are completely separate and I need to support my own work and my decisions.

All in all, a big thank you is owed to Paul for boosting my confidence in the world of illustration (is not in myself), it’s good to see that there is a support network there, especially for newbies like me who really do need it! And keep up the good work dude!

Copy of the email I received for the honourable Mr Bartlett:

paul bartlett

Add to contacts

To Chloe Jones

Chloe,

Thank you for reaching out and thank you for the compliments on my work.

I think it's a brave move to ask a stranger for advice. I'd be honored to take a look at your stuff.
Let me know where to find it, and I'll get back to you when I can.

Planning on updating my site with a "Book Covers" section soon. I also submitted entries to the Dracula and Romeo & Juliet contests, but I didn't do backs and spines for those yet... I think the Dracula one in particular freaks people out. :) But it SHOULD. Dracula is a scary dude.

Good luck with school.

Best,

Paul

Group Crit 06/02/2012

Group Crit 06/02/2012

After Thursday’s tutorial, I thought I was on the right path to making some good progress this coming week. However, I have been stalled once more by some surprises from this mornings group crit results. Although my ‘totem’ idea has been established for well over a week now, it has only just this morning been brought to my attention that it does not reflect Grimm’s fairy-tales, or at least the group does not see how it reflects Grimm’s fairy-tales. Understandably, totems are usually associated with Indian American and there origins are definitely rooted there. The idea was supposed to be that a totem is predominantly crafted from wood and the Grimm’s fairy-tales are more often than not set in the woods. Additionally, I was using the structure of the totem to bring my elements together; I was using its significance secondary. Although the idea of the totem being of spiritual significance could also imply magic, which, along with fantasy and enchantment is prevalent in the fairy-tales.

Another hurdle is the concept of working out of the sketchbook. It has taken me all my time, might and strength to contain myself in a sketchbook after years of working on other media for that too to be now criticised. The only thing I can do is listen to the advice given and act upon it. So this week I will be leaving my sketchbook in my bag and instead work on cardboard where I can make almost three dimensional characters instead of the flat ones I have produced so far. Indeed I will continue to use my current method of magazine cuttings (or origami paper cuttings now I have found what it is!) but glue them to something that is tangible rather than paper. I think that this will be fun and enjoyable seeing the characters appearing off the page giving them a true personality and feel. I understand that a sketchbook can be confining and restricting, this is why I never used them at the beginning, going back to working outside of it will be a real boost and show that my work can work just as well in other forms. I look forward especially to photographing some of the results at the end of the week to give my portfolio another angle and more depth.

Tutorial 02/02/2012

Tutorial 02/02/12

After much debating on whether my totem was 'fitting' for its intended purpose, the tutorial on Thursday (02/02) made the decision for me that it wasn't quite. The initial design I posted previously has been worked on and the separate elements have been collaged into the same design, see the newer version above. Reflecting on my first FMP post already, I can see now that the colour is not right for starters and the type needs integrating for seconds. My lessons from last semester although essential are proving difficult ones to learn...

It has been decided that I should research totems more thoroughly to reference the shape better and to show better integration of the individual elements. Currently, the elements are just stacked on top of each other and do not signify the totem idea. Additionally, type needs to be introduced soon so that it is fully integrated and incorporated into the final design rather than an afterthought or clumsy additional layer pasted on top. I have some preliminary ideas for this but they are yet to materialise on paper. I think that by stitching the type it will be one step in the right direction of integrating the type with the image as this already incorporates some stitch.

Symmetry has raised its head again in my work so far. The strongest elements are fully symmetrical and work well next to lesser asymmetrical ones. However, more surreal combinations could work well and reflect the darker side of Grimm’s. For example, we don’t need to see all of the spinning wheel, maybe just the wheel itself or the needle and this could be put alongside the eye of the frog (frogs eyes are its most essential asset for it to represent a frog).

Making my characters out of magazine cuttings is thoroughly enjoyable though extremely time consuming. Of course there’s the distraction of re-reading ‘that’ article you’d forgotten about whilst trawling for a particular colour or texture but the trawling for the colour or texture is also time consuming in itself. Basically, I could be trawling through five magazines before I find the perfect colour and even then it can be too small an area for what I need it for. A suggestion was to scan in the colour or texture and start to create a digital archive where I can store them and print them off as and when I deem necessary. Although this is a sensible suggestion, my gripe is that the quality of the printed page will not be the same as the original glossy magazine cutting. I like the magazine cuttings because they are more flexible to work with; they are thinner and more aesthetically pleasing. Because they are thinner they are easier to manipulate and tease into the desired shape for my collaging method. However, an idea I’ve warmed to is the notion of using origami papers which imitate magazine paper. I’ve never used origami paper before and was initially wary of the idea, but having been to purchase a pack today and seeing the quality of it for myself, it has reinforced that this way of working has to be more effective and efficient. As I now have a pack of paper ready to go in seven inch squares, I will be able to knock my little characters out in no time!

Finally, the last suggestion was to introduce a sense of place to the totem so that my audience can understand why these elements have been grouped together. If for example there were branches protruding from the elements to suggest a tree in the background or intertwined in the design, the audience would understand that the wood unites these characters together. I didn’t want to be overly literal with my design of Grimm’s fairy-tales, as most illustrators focus on the castle and woods; however I think that a subtle hint with branches curling round the design will be effective.

All in al then, the idea is praised but needs much more work… better get to it

Where have all the book illustrators gone?

Independent Review

The Independent recently published an article on 'where have all the illustrators gone?' The clip deals with the bicentenary of Dickens' birth and holds him at the core of the writing, but author Melanie Mcdonagh poses some interesting questions about contemporary illustrators in comparison to his age old classics;

'Why don't contemporary novels have illustrations as standard? Why are illustrators corralled into children's fiction? Are modern novelists just too precious to collaborate with artists? Is it the additional cost in an already tight budget? Are modern illustrators just not that good?'

It is true that more often than not illustrators illustrate children's books moreover than adults. The market for adult illustration still exists but it is often considered less stimulating for the artist as imagination is required less so. And, for what it’s worth, the adult fiction that I personally digest gives no need for illustration. Providing illustrations takes away, for me, the power of my own imagination. It is this mature imagination of the adult that provides images of their own whereas a child's less mature mind often needs that extra stimulation in the form of pictures. Children's fiction requires images to stimulate the child's imagination and the story gives more opportunity for the artist to convey their own imagination on the given subject i.e. both parties gain. Contemporary adult fiction can often be dry or the subject matter, for illustration purposes especially, can be monotonous or repetitive resulting in limited outcomes for similar story lines. There is then a clear divide between adult and child literature where images are prevalent in the latter but not the former, which is a definite reversal of times gone by. Images are seen as something which people grow out of with age, considered more for this ‘immature’ mind and mentality, where children cannot imagine or picture text as clearly as adults.

Of course money is a big issue, certainly in such uncertain economic times. If a novel can escape having to pay additional costs such as an illustrator then of course this will mean a bigger profit and businesses are predominantly centred on that, the highest profit margin. So in response to the question that Melanie poses, modern illustrators are still good but unfortunately they require the wage to match, but in the world of dog eat dog business, if a company can wriggle out of commissioning an extra contract to save money they will. So is it a case of where have all the illustrators gone? Or a case of where have all the commissions gone?

Quentin Blake and Roald Dahl are probably one of the most renowned marriages of illustration and fiction and have stood the tests of time with millions of copies of the classics still being purchased today. Blake goes on to say ‘You don't always want to see what the protagonist looks like. Are you drawing surroundings, atmosphere, furniture?’ It is true that even in other illustration arenas such as editorials, it is key not to be overly literal because that can get very boring very quickly.

The Independent’s article I commented on can be found here: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/where-have-all-the-book-illustrators-gone-6291792.html accessed 04/02/2012

Totem Research

'A totem is a stipulated ancestor of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage or tribe' (Wikipedia)

'Each person has nine animal essences or totems that walk through life with them, teaching and guiding them and in some cases, protecting them' (Linsdomain.com/totems)

The totem that I propose to make would be a family or group of temptation elements found within the Grimm's fairy-tales. If I could find nine elements to utilise this will fit nicely with the second piece of research I found from linsdomain.com. The preliminary totem I have produced so far has six elements and so a further three elements would need to be found and produced.

I have found in other research that many of the fairy-tales do have a teaching and guiding theme as well as protection. For example the apple in Snow White teaches children to do as they are told and listen to worthy advice but she is protected by the seven dwarves, the wolf in Little Red Cap teaches children to stay away from potential danger and the radish in Rapunzel teaches children the consequences of stealing.

The temptation elements I have used so far are; the Apple from Snow White, the Spindle from Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty), the Dove from Hansel and Grethel, the Radish from Rapunzel, the Frog from the Frog Prince and the Wolf from Little Red Cap. I have found further temptation elements in the Key from the Woodcutter's Child and the Mouse from Cat and Mouse in Partnership. I still need then a further temptation element to secure my nine elements to produce a totem.

The black and white drawing above is my preliminary totem made out of my original six elements, the further two will need to be added to make it more representative and a further elements will need to be found and added.

Temptation

So, I’ve decided that my Final Major Project requires an underpinning theme and theory to tie all three aspects together; the book covers re-design the puppets and costume. In my proposal I highlighted that I would be selecting one of the Grimm’s fairy-tales after I have finished the book cover re-design for Puffin which will link the two final aspects together, however, it would be nice to see a theme running through all three evidencing that they all follow on in succession rather than having three disjointed outcomes.

After researching the fairy-tales for just over a week I have noticed that there are some key themes running through many if not all of the stories. Themes such as greed and jealousy rear their ugly heads often and provide a good base for my underpinning theme but I’m struggling with how I would portray this in my final design. Instead, I have chosen to work with temptation. Temptation, unlike some of the other themes which I have highlighted, is not one of the seven deadly sins although it many ways it can be compared to lust; the emotional force which is associated with thinking about one’s desire and as seen in Snow White when she takes the apple from her wicked step-mother in disguise, the temptation of the apple leads to the lusting after it and thus eventually caving to this desire and taking a bite despite the dwarfs multiple warnings. Although I do think that researching the seven deadly sins could have a positive impact on my overall understanding of the stories.

Temptation then, is an act which looks appealing to an individual but which often has negative connotations and usually leads to negative emotions such as guilt and regret. I have found this underpinning theme in Rapunzel; where her mother was tempted by the radishes which grew in the witch’s garden but in return for the radishes the witch wanted their first child (Rapunzel), in Snow White; where Snow White was tempted by the lace which her wicked step-mother used to lace up her bodice much too tightly and resulted in her collapsing, the comb and the apple, in Little Red Cap; where the Little Red Cap is tempted by the wolf and in the original version strips for him and climbs in bed to be by his side and in the Golden Bird; where Dummling was tempted by other obstacles than what he should have been focusing on the complete his challenge amongst many others.

In discovering my underpinning theme, my critical theory can also now be established. I will be looking at Carl Jung, Lucian Freud and other psychoanalytical founders and their thoughts on fairy-tales, in particular the temptation aspects contained within. I will be looking more broadly at fairy-tales in addition to gain a better perspective and understanding of them as the institution which they now appear to have become and at Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into The Woods’ production. To inform me with my puppet making I will be investigating Picasso’s theatre, Klee’s puppets and Hockney’s theatre, this in turn will also impact my research for costume design. Also, it would be interesting to look at how these lessons impact children when translated through fairy-tales.

My idea for the book cover re-design entry is to compose elements from the different fairy-tales and combine them in a totem pole. I have chosen the idea of the totem as it is a representation of a family and can then be manipulated to show the idea of a family of temptation that has enticed our main characters on their travels. It will be this underpinning temptation that will mesh the different elements together, in this it will be key to show how these elements are related (in their portrayal of temptation).

I need to keep in mind the lessons that I have learned from last semester too, with colour application, typography and integration of both the image and type seamlessly. If I can keep all of this in perspective then I think my chances of having a strong winning outcome will be exceptionally higher.