Binary Box

I contacted The Binary Box by phone. They are a wall sticker company also working in bespoke sticker designs for clients.

I was surprised when I spoke to Chris when he said I could drop in a couple of days later. It was a complete contrast to what I have become accustomed to when contacting the industry.

The studio is run from a building complex hosting a variety of businesses so when I arrived at reception I waited to be greeted. When I got there James and Andy who are two of only four working at Binary Box met me. They took me to a couched area to sift through my portfolio and were impressed with the variety of work I had especially some of the screen-printing I produce in my spare time.

Once we’d chatted about my projects for a bit they to give me a tour of the studio and how it runs. It was good t see how a professional and fast expanding printing business could run from one average class size room. The thing I liked about the setup was that everyone did a little of everything from illustrating the vector designs to feeding and printing the stickers making everyday a little different. I like the idea of mixing up energy and focus this way; it keeps work from becoming stale.

After being shown how everything was run and helping out for a bit to peel stickers and find stock they told me tat they are often looking for volunteers and to give them a shout when I’ve got the time.

Raw

I managed to contact Tom Heaton from RAW in Manchester. It was lose to the normal situation where people are too busy but thankfully he did offer to take a look at a PDF version or website.

It took me a while to get this together and unfortunately I had to leave a fair bit out of compared to my physical version. These were all of the prints I’m yet to have scanned into Indesign to uniform the overall portfolio format. I also left out the storyboard for the cross pathways collaboration as I thought it might be a little difficult to digest if I was not present to explain it.

I didn’t really get to ask Tom about his opinion on the industry or the ins and outs of the RAW studio but he did say that he liked the work in my portfolio but that maybe I should experiment with my layout a little more.

I am trying to stay in contact so that I can gain a visit as soon as things calm down in the studio.

Blue Apple Design

I discovered that the Houldsworth Mill in Stockport host a number of businesses and a number of design studios. One of those I contacted was Blue Apple Design. They produce a number of refreshing visually stimulating and lighthearted solutions for their clients.

When I first same across them I found their website opening animation really engaging and I loved the “Plastic Fantastic” project they produced for Cumbrian Containers, they managed to fun and energetic.

I decided it was best to call up the Studio to save time and get a straight answer. This gave me a direct email to contact as opposed to an information address that generally gets you nowhere. I emailed David at Blue Apple Design and didn’t get a response so I decided to call again as the receptionist friendly and helpful and far from intimidating. She told me to send another email and it worked as this time David replied asking for a digital version of my portfolio (which I expect feedback from shortly) I decided to send the animations I created for the End Sting project but needed to upload these onto a site for them to be downloaded from. I was also told we could arrange a visit to the studio once we’ve discussed his feedback. Fingers crossed.

WALL BUTTING

During my attempts to ascertain a portfolio visit I have contacted so many different studios and to no prevail! Amongst these only a handful bothered to reply and of those only one asked to see a copy of my portfolio, of which would have to be a digital version as mounting deadlines meant they wouldn't have face time free for a while. The whole process has been fairly disheartening at points especially when my email is interpreted as me asking for a placement as apposed to just some tips advice. The majority of replies were thankful and friendly but held the point of having no placements available. It is a true lesson in persistence and if anything I feel as though it has given me more motivation and determination to hunt down these illusive designers!

Below were my favored studios and a few of many that did not reply:

DRUM BEAT

TRUE NORTH

FLUID CREATIVITY

ATOMIC DESIGN

CREATIVE LYNX

ASHCROFT CREATIVE DESIGN

DESIGN BY DAY

These are the people that took the time to let me down nicely:

Janet Moses - WHY NOT ASSOCIATES

Tom Heaton - RAW

Samuel Netherwood - INFLUENCE

Paul Heaton - REFORM

Jo Garland - JACKNIFE

And then there were two. From it all there were two people that could spare any time at all it would seem, the first being Richard Stote from CURB from which I gained a good insight into what goes on in the studio; the second being Tony Moore from FRONT ROW that couldn't offer me any face time but was more than happy to look at a digital version when he got chance.

... and the search goes on....

OSCAR MUÑOZ

Oscar is a Colombian artist working with many media such as photography and print making as well as installations and moving image. This exhibition Biografías at the Cornerhouse is a collection of moving image that take the form of distorted self portraits. He works a lot with the ideas of memory and human loss both of which you easily get a sense of here.

The darkened room immediate draws your attention to the lit squares on the floor. As you watch these disappear into a makeshift drain the eery sense of disintegration is coupled with the audio of water trickling down a drain, this really seems to emphasize the despair in the faces of the portraits. The technique used in this method in an interesting one using a combination of screen printing and coal dusting on water to help bleed the images away.

The portrait of Oscar himself is probably one of my favorites to date. It consist of a short film in which you see his face reflected in water cupped in his hand. Throughout the video the water is constantly in motion twisting and distorting the reflection and as it plays on and the water trickles through the fingers his face becomes more and more distorted and confined.

OSA/MERZEN/

This latest exhibition at the Cube gallery has bee brought to you by Office For Subversive Architecture which is a treat as they never usually exhibit indoors. The exhibit at first glance is a collection of street rubble and as the exhibition is gradually erected over a number of days you are greeted with a reception of gathered rubble yet to be used.

As you wander around the exhibition you realise layers amongst the collection. As bits and bobs fit together in the space your attention is drawn to the actual structures and forms these pieces of rubble make. It was really interesting to see the marriage between different random everyday materials and the spaces they created. It challenged the perceptions of how we can experience our everyday outdoor tat. Initially the idea was to have the exhibit extending through the building and out onto the street but this unfortunately has been met with some resistance from local businesses. The object to create the exhibit have been both salvaged and donated offering a nice collection of local media including a Manchester City Council litter bin which I'm looking forward to being used.

There was a certain sense of familiarity in some of the collection such as the road signs and old doors, these have always grabbed my attention because of their lived in characteristics and grubby aesthetics. A few architects of Osa will be giving a talk about their exhibition on the 28th March this year. I'd like to go and get a further insight into Osa's concepts of trying to bring the outdoors in and other aspects of their work.

YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK

(more pics coming!)

The sculpture park was most probably the best combination of inspiration and exercise I've ever embarked upon. For first timers like myself I can't imagine how you could get a sense of the scale and surrounding atmosphere without spending the whole day exploring.

The fact that all the sculptures were either bleeding into or protruding from the natural landscape was exciting as well as engaging. Although you are aware that these are man made at the same time you can't help but feel as though you are discovering something new and special and even a little magical.

The experience stretched from points that felt as though you'd found a forgotten relic to others that gave me visions of a giant alien returning to collect forgotten goods. It's hard to explain how the sculptures are so diverse and yet still sit amongst nature and each other so comfortably.

Visiting the park has inspired me to look at external exhibition spaces and even into the sculpture process itself. I hope to be able to work with 3D artist or masons at some point in the future in order to develop some similar skills through collaboration.

CR - MAGAZINE DESIGN

CURB

Curb are a London based natural media company I've been in contact with over the past few months. As time had run short and due to traveling situations Richard Stote from Curb offered to chat to me over the phone.

One of his opening questions was based around where I wanted to be within the industry. Although this is a pretty obvious question and one I should be ready for I still found it throwing me slightly mostly because I'm not completely sure. I spoke about my interest within graphics and elements that I would love to work with and also about the long term goal of having my own space that would incorporate many different aspects of creativity through workshops and events that could benefit a creative community.

Over the conversation I learnt of the team of skilled artist Curb have been working with and felt a strong sense of respect from Richard as he spoke of them. This made me wish I had stronger illustration skills.

Richard's advise to anyone leaving education for the industry was focused on the here now and new advising me to constantly update myself on the latest methods, technologies and campaigns. In regards to the work process he offered interesting advice on leaving lines open talking about creating lines that you can choose to follow in the future. And last but far from least was yet again the advice on the importance of collaborating and communication or as Richard put it the "talk-ability tool".

RITTA IKONEN

Ritta is a London based Finnish conceptual costume designer working all over the world. Through studying she has worked in many different fields including photography and theatrical routes as well as her much less preferred BA (Hons) in illustration. It was really good to see someone so inspired by pretty much anything creative. With her fingers in so many pies it's a given that Ritta is a keen collaborator but it was also inspiring to see how this drove her career and how this comes out in her work.

one particular piece I was impressed with was the "snowflake" project. This is a series of photographs featuring Ritta in a self made snowflake costume around Finland. They were created to highlight the worrying effects of global warming and were inspired by her personal experiences of her home town. it was good to see how someone could pull from a personal experience/angle and still speak to so many so clearly.

Another element of Ritta's on going creativity that I really enjoyed was her "Mail Art". Until this talk I had no idea that you could send almost anything with a written address through the post. This is something she has been doing since university and was usually relevant to whatever she was working on if not just another observation of her surroundings. I really like the fact that this art again is very personal but still provokes questions and reactions from any viewer.

Ritta's advice was fundamentally based on collaboration and experience. She encouraged us to talk to anyone and everyone and when you see how far this has taken her it was hard not to feel motivated and inspired.

OPEN PLAN

Over the past couple of years I have been working closely with the dubstep night Open Plan based in Manchester. This has thrown a number of learning curves my way not least of these is the ability to compromise on your own concepts in order to reach a mutual outcome the client will be happy with.

Through this night I have been producing promotional posters and flyers but with the nights recent expansion into other areas of the genre I have been given the opportunity to also expand and develop different designs for promotion. This has also given me the chance to get my hand dirty again producing limited edition hand printed tee shirts as well as stencils for spraying and other forms of advertising. These for me are some of the most enjoyable processes within graphic design and although a little time consuming they are defiantly worth the out come especially if you are trying to promote a night as having something special and being a bit different.

Over the years we have attempted to use a couple of printing companies found on a search engine and had some bad luck at first when it came to the quality of the print. After a while of guerilla style print processes we turned to a company that lives up to its name "Stress Free Print" and have used these for the last couple of events. I still really enjoy the hands on approach and for last minute events and spray/screen stencils I still get to exercise this just not as often.

BRAND ORIENTEERING

The branding workshop organised through college saw Owen Stevens from "Brand Orienteering" come in to give us a crash course in the concepts and techniques used in developing corporate brands.

The full day workshop was really informative in it's break down of branding. Through a number of group activities we were shown how we could break a brand identity down into it's core elements/themes, this gave good insight into the thought processes of companies trying to sell to us as well as the ways in which society thinks.

One of the angles we were encouraged to exercise was to think of a corporate brand as if it were a celebrity. Doing this made you examine and break down their public personality and so revealed not only what they represent but quite clearly who these different characteristics may appeal to. This technique could be easily applied to ideas behind brand identities.

To help visualise the processes and techniques we were given a booklet of both examples and self prompting questions. After a day of workshops and discussion this will act as a good reminder of all the info and advise that was offered.

COME DESIGN WITH ME

This was an event set up by Stockport College and organised by a handful of 3rd year students for fellow students to get the opportunity to meet with past graduates of the same course, giving us the chance to discuss different aspects of leaving education and embarking on the industry.

With refreshments we settled into two groups and sat round for separate q&a. The questions had been predetermined by the students and put into separate piles for the graduates to answer, this was too try and make sure everyone could get a chance of having their question answered with out possibly feeling intimidated.

A lot of the work we were shown was really interesting and all the advice informative. We were painted a realistic and current picture of trying to break into creative industry covering last years graduate experiences up to past students who had been trying for a couple of years. I appreciated this range of reference and would say that I preferred to hear about the struggles that many of us could face as this also came with some good advise to simply never give up, part of entering the industry is also developing thick skin but mostly showing your commitment and their experience was proof of that.

Overall the night gave us a good insight into a world we are about to enter. The only thing I'd have changed would have been to allow a little more time to swap groups and gain a wider range of responses.

GRAFIK - HOW TO BE GREEN

This article by Nat Hunter from a copy of Grafik is highlighting the issue of wastefulness within the design industry. It acts as an eye opener to anyone unaware of the intensities of mass paper production and reflects on the development from old styles of print production.

Nat argues that in our digital world we have become separated from the essential processes that help inspire and spark our concepts and in doing so we are loosing vital knowledge needed to drive our imagination and understanding, and push further our techniques and technology.

Despite this it isn't disputed that our learnt "click & send" behavior is both economically and environmentally beneficial.

The advice offered to any designer interested in producing quality work that would survive the bin is to give more care and attention to any physical processes you take part in and to start looking closely at what happens between the send and the print process, this will hopefully inspire you go on to produce pieces of work that will mean something to someone.

JONATHAN BARNBROOK

Jonathan is an English typographer/ graphic designer and the founder of Barnbrook Studio. When he talked at Stockport College about his first inspiration and strong connection to graphics evolving through record cover design and the intrinsic links he made between image music and emotion, a genuine motivation to the idea of expression and visual communication was immediately put forward.

Jonathan's professional ethos is reflected not only in his choice of client i.e. "Buy Nothing Day" but also through some of his typography which is often evident in its title. They can be sarcastic or cheeky designs but are always derived from his perceptions and responses to the world around him, he pointed out that being able to draw inspiration from your surroundings is fundamental to design.

We were shown a clear example of this with his "Mason Sans" type face (below) where Jonathan has made direct links between architecture and character structure; you can see the similarity of the gothic window against the letter "A".

The element of the presentation that really grabbed my attention was Jonathan's attitude and distaste towards the corporate industry of design. This for me was an eye opener into the approach that a well established and respected designer could have in todays industry. Because of my own preconceptions of what it means to work as a designer I found this a very pleasant revelation, and when presented with stories of turning down commissions such as Coca Cola based on ethical stand points I couldn't help but be impressed.

When reflecting on the industry there were a few disconcerting points put forward on where we can expect to stand as graphic designers. The first was that in the eyes of the masses we are the bottom rung of the ladder, and when it comes to the higher-achy of creative professions not to expect too much respect.

The other more inspirational points were focused on starting up on your own and trying to approach the industry on your own terms, this was coupled with strong advise on collaborating with as many different people as possible, one of my favorite aspects of design. And last but far from least was Jonathan's advise on incorporating elements of design you love into your portfolio as well as briefs you've been set to give good conversational points of interest during an interview. - Passion is key!