PPD and Enterprise 2

Open publication - Free publishing - More design

Design Strategy Presentation

Rationale

Progress: Where I am now?

Since the start of the 3rd year I’ve gained a clearer direction of what kind of designer I want to be. I have developed my skills in type and layout and focussed more on branding

I explored design for web whilst creating my own website. Also focussing mostly on packaging design and developing my skills in Processes, print, folds and production.

I have realized that I enjoy live briefs: work with clients, pitching ideas, time management and meeting deadlines. Meeting deadlines in the professional world is something I am not used to and will need to gain experience in this and get used too.

Design Presence: My Business cards and letterheads are always changing and will probably change again before the end of year show

I Want to get my business cards printed professionally and want to look into having a spot varnish or foil printed on them.

Create a really interesting portfolio with a range of foiled work, interesting folds, spot varnish and similar processes, packaging, letterpress and screen prints.

Portfoilo

Online Presence

I have been contacting studios through emails, I will continue to do this and hopefully get a better response from this. Contact studios around the world and all over Britain. Get conversations going with studios.

I need to produce a creative CV / Self promotional publication / Mail out and continue to gain professional feedback and gain industrial experience

Location

Manchester and London

Why Manchester?

Because its and upcoming city - growth of the creative industry increases.

Urban city with a high concentration of businesses.

Eventually Australia or America. Why?

London

There are all a couple of design studios in London that produce work that I like. Thinking about the future this may be a good place to set up a studio as there will not be many competitors.

Possible Places of Work: gain experience, realise how the industry works, what the company is doing wrong

Research into these studios has affected my practice because I have discovered work which I like and want to produce similar work

Identified studios where I would like to work and why?

Teacake

Shape

May Ninth

Mark

SB Studio

Other studios

Studio spaces that are available in manchester and london

Opportunities: internships advertised on social networking

My statement of intent is, Packaging with a focus on processes and format. High interest in bespoke typography and letterforms.

My work in third year has been a lot more focussed on packaging design and print. I created packaging for a new range for H. Samuel in my last module and I am currently creating packaging for vegetarian sweets for a brief I created myself.

When I graduate I plan to stay in Leeds for at least another year. I currently work part time at a restaurant and have been given full time hours from the beginning of July. I plan to work here to save some money and pay my rent. Whilst working here I want to search and apply for internships or placements. I felt I needed to stay in Leeds as my hometown is so small and is not very creative and is pretty far away from any big cities, whereas staying in Leeds will have so many great opportunities such as Catch Up and things like that. Staying in Leeds would also mean I could still have access to the college’s facilities.

Studios I have been looking at and would love to have a placement with are Analogue Studio. They have strong strengths in print and packaging and the work they produce is the kind of work I would love to produce myself. Another studio I have been looking at in Leeds is Box-head, again producing really nice packaging and print designs. Most of the studios I come across that produce the work I love are based in London.

One studio in London I have been looking at a lot is Studio h, which produces mainly packaging. Another is called sabotage, again, which produces just packaging. I plan to apply for work placements or internships in London in a year or so, once I have saved up some money. I have friends in London who I could stay with and possibly look into living there. I think it would be good for me also to gain some experience in other areas of design also. Perhaps a design agency which specialises in more than one design area.

I have signed for a flat with Steph Bourne in Leeds so I am now defiantly staying in Leeds. Finding a flat was harder than I thought and took up a lot more time than I had planned. This has affected my work for FMP also as I have had to take time out to look round flats and finding one for the right price has been stressful. We eventually found a flat priced at £750 a month which includes parking, ideal for Steph, as I do not drive. The flat is based in the city centre right by the train station so it is perfect for me at this stage. I can either get a bus to my work (on Kirkstall road) or the train to Burley park and walk 15 minutes to work. Being in the city centre also means I will be close to any potential work placements or internships that may arise.

I have a cousin who lives in Macclesfield at the moment with my Auntie and Uncle, she lived in Manchester for three years whilst doing her degree and she is now currently doing her masters degree. She wants to stay at my Auntie and Uncles for another year whilst doing her masters to save up money. We then plan to live together in Manchester. This is perfect for me as I have signed for my flat in Leeds for 12 months then I want to move to Manchester as I think I will have out grown Leeds and perhaps got a bit bored of it. I think Manchester is such a professional and growing city I think I would really love living there. There also so many studios I love in Manchester so hopefully I will find it easier to get in contact with them. With Manchester being a much bigger city than Leeds, it will give me the chance to get used to living in a bigger place, as the town I am from is so small, even moving to Leeds for the first time was extremely daunting and nerve racking for me. I think I could then maybe, eventually see myself living in London for a while even thought the thought of that at the moment scares me to death. I think I would also enjoy living in London as its a lot closer to home for me and I would be able to see my family a lot more than I do now or would if I stayed living up north. There are also a lot more opportunities in London and a lot of the studios I really love that concentrate on packaging design and the kind of thing I like, are based in London.

Where do I see myself in five years?

Ideally I would like to end up living in another country other than England. In five years I would love to be living in Australia or America and working for a design agency. Realistically I think I would like to live abroad for a year or two but probably no longer than that as I would miss my friends and family too much and get too homesick.

Moneywise, I am going to have to keep working and trying to save as much money up as I can whilst working at my restaurant job. After graduating I want to take some time out to enjoy myself and have some fun. At the end of June I am going away to Croatia to a festival and too look around the islands with two friends. When I get back I have a few other festivals in England I am going too. I think I want to enjoy myself as much as I can this summer as well as try and save. Unfortunately, last October my grandad passed away, but in his will he left me and my brother and sister 2% of his money. Recently his house and land has had an offer, slightly less than my mum had hoped for, but once the land and house has sold I will be getting about £12,000. This is an incredible amount of money which could help me out a lot! I don't want to be silly with this money so I plan to put some if not all of it away in a bond and eventually put towards setting up on my own or collaboratively. I also would like to put some of the money towards traveling and if I do eventually end up living abroad for a while.