STUDIO VISIT - Duke Studios

http://www.duke-studios.com

Sophie got in touch with the people that run Duke Studios and organised a visit and posted it on the years Facebook group. Only a handful of us went down and we were there for no longer than 30 minutes but it was well worth it.

The studios take up one floor of Munro house near Leeds bus station and they have different kinds of spaces from hot desk spaces to full desktop space to a complete studio space. As well as the space, you have access to lots of creative in house facilities such as a photography studio and a wood work, design workshop complete with its own laser cutter.

Over all I wsa really impressed with the whole place, it had a great atmosphere and felt very alive and bright which made it seem like the perfect place to start a studio or perhaps join an existing one.

PROGRESS TUTORIAL - individual

The tutorial was the first one on one tutorial time I had and this time it was with Amber.  The feedback I got was good and constructive like in the group tutorials and it was very critical. It felt like for the most part, I was being asked questions that I couldn't fully answer and at this point I should be able to answer all of them.


These are the notes I took during the tutorial.

PCL

Don't let it distract me from the other briefs
Contact dots about printing


MONK

Constraint for deadline
break it down into two parts
- Brand & identity
    - corporate collateral
- package, branding and space

Get on with it


BIKOLOGY

go visit them
get permission to photograph the shop and bike parts
branding a publication


VIEW

Why are you doing it?
Who is your audience?
Get pitch together - make it a live brief
Define our purpose
Is the deliverable appropriate?


Basically what I got from this tutorial is that I need to really focus on balancing how much I'm working on each brief. I think I'll start with getting lots of contextual references and research done for each then move on to designing because each brief could be solved in the space of 2 weeks which is what I aim to do. Then from their I can push them further.

PROGRESS TUTORIAL - 1st crit with Fred

Had my first group crit with Fred today and on a general overview the crit went really well, we had plenty of time to talk about our 4 main briefs focussing in on what we want to get out of them, what skills we want to develop, where we want to head with them and the progress we had already made.

Feedback giving by Sarah Roberts

Rationale:-
- knows the end goal - focussed on the end
- branding in retail and identity - different aspects

Statement of intent:-
- retail design
- rebrand
- photography
- illustration
- social networking

Briefs:- each brief is different
- collab brief - Marty // clothing label // identity and branding // social networking // significant blog // colab with photography // focus what is the deadlines and products // don't try to do too much and fail, not enough time

- monk brief // rebrand of the bar // cocktail bar // live

- bikology - publication // photography // illustration 

- view holographics - print forms

Additional Comments:-
- a lot of live briefs in the real world
- good starting point to 3rd year
- learn more on the job
- try not to get carried away, seems collab with Marty is massive
- not just one thing - make sure you do varied products


Feedback given by Sadie Thompson.

Rationale:-
- making briefs live - weather existing or independently written
- focus your briefs - make sure you have enough time to do everything by crimbo

Statement of Intent
- collab on clothing label - looking to carry into FMP
- bar branding - live brief
- bike biology brief - what audience? is it for promotional purposes or stands as a separate product from the shop? - inform educate - DIY bike repairs
- holography

Briefs:-
- retail spaces - looking at just products or interiors also? collar with Marty is quite a substantial brief, need to allow time for other briefs

Additional Comments:-
- in depth research on holography - need to make sure all information is accurate
- make sure you use a range of disciplines - screen, print - don't pigeon hole yourself
- good range of briefs - allows you to show variety of skills in your portfolio

Some useful points made here about audience for Bikology and keeping the briefs focussed whilst avoiding pigeonholing myself.

Feedback given by Charlotte Bourke.

Rationale:-
- know what you want
- client based brief - test. very good though

Statement of Intent:-
- solid plan?
- week by week?

Briefs:-
- delegation already (brief Marty) very clear foresight
- scope for realistic view
- very clear
- holography? - think of your audience
- varied briefs - allows you to full fill your skill set

Additional Comments:-
- very good to hear such clarity
- you want to make it big
- remember you can propose

Go solid advice at the end from Charlotte. I've often bitten off more than I could chew in the past with my briefs so it's great to hear so advice that suggests i make it easier for myself and propose some of the deliverables.

Feedback given by Kirsty Fruin.

Rationale:-
- clear design direction for year and briefs which will aid the development of this...keep interested

Statement of Intent:-
- already making progress and clear direction
- make sure you plan week by week
- work on briefs up till Christmas and evaluate and rewrite for next semester

Briefs:-
- collaboration: clear roles within
- live: opportunity to be experimental
- research driven brief
- good variety of briefs

Additional Comments:-
- make sure you have fun with your briefs!


Again, really sound advice at the end.


I'm going to go over the feed back with Marty for our collaborative brief to get his opinion and maybe write a few questions for him to ask about the brief in his crit tomorrow. This way we can see if more people are thinking the same about our brief or if they go a completely different way with the feedback.

Overall the conversations were good and everyone seems to have strong briefs and high set targets. Just need to crack on. Also next time I'll need to bring print outs for people to see and aid them in giving feedback.

PCL - Business cards

During the market research trip Marty and I took last Friday we managed to do a little bit of networking and got a few business cards. Unfortunately Marty didn't have any on him but I gave mine out to two clothing companies both of which had instant positive reactions which felt great. The cards I gave them were the same ones I printed for my PPD module in level 5 so the type was still tiny on the reverse side but the recipients didn't seem to mind at all.

Nicole Leech who works at Dirty Girl menswear in the Corn Exchange even mentioned deisgning a look book for her jewellery designs. This could be a collaborative side project for Marty and I further along the line.

It felt great leaving my mark with some people and seeing them happy to take it and I've got a few more contacts added to my network now.

This one is really interesting and was actually designed by a my friend James who is a 3rd year on the fashion course here at LCA.

PCL - Manchester print fair & competition

Manchester print fair is taking place on the 27th of October and it would be a great opportunity to get some t'shirts printed to sell, however, there are no more stalls available to rent which is a real shame. This has made me realise that Marty and I really need to push and push this brief so we can have prints ready and we can sign up to these sort of events. This was a great opportunity we missed out on.

However, there is a small silver lining. The print fair is holding a competition for two designers to enter designs that will then be printed live during the fair on t-shirts and bags. The winners receive a free shirt and bag each so I can only assume that we wouldn't make any money from the prints. However we are still going to enter and possibly get some of our designs out there.

Furthermore we're going to attend the fair anyway to pick up some ideas of what people are producing and selling and more importantly the way these fairs are set up a run. If others have t-shirts being sold then it would be a good chance to get some advice.

http://manchesterprintfair.tumblr.com/events

PPD3 - Lists from tutorial 1

5

Things you didn't know before the summer break that you know now?

1 - The difference between digital holograms and analogue holograms. This is very specific but it is something new that I have learnt from doing a work placement with my Dad, Peter Crosby, at View Holographics.

2 - That there is more to the design industry than what is already in the UK. I was in Wales working for View Holographics and the local design studios take on work that is welsh as well as english. Also, I learnt from Yaf, Eddie and Chris about the opportunities and studios which are out there in the rest of Europe.

3 - Having an online portfolio is a crucial thing to have. When Manachain (from Monk bar) asked me for a portfolio I didn't have one so I had to put one together quite swiftly. In a way it was a good thing because it really gave me the push to start it properly and move on from the Tumblr account and onto Cargo which really showcases your projects.

4 - 3rd year isn't so scary. I was incredibly anxious about coming back into level 6, I was worried about the work load, not being able to see friends, going on studio visits, getting the work I want to do done etc etc. But now I'm here at level 6 I'm finding it's really quite enjoyable and I'm doing some briefs that I'm really excited about and are well developed. It's much different to the feelings I had at the start of level 5.

5 - I'm dyslexic. I went through the dyslexia screening tests towards the end of last year and over summer I was declared dyslexic and that I was entitled to the support and equipment. Probably the best decision I made really as I have a laptop know and it makes it so much easier to get on with work, especially blogging. On top of this its portable so I'll be able to work on the go when I go to visit clients or go home or visit studios that aren't in Leeds.



Things you would address differently than you did this summer?

1 - I would have treated each day like it was my job and have a routine of spending an hour researching for inspiration, an hour researching for my dissertation/reading for my dissertation and an hour updating my online presence.

2 - I would have been more persistent with contacting studios and getting studio visits.

3 - I would have done more digital illustrations with my tablet.

4 - I would have stayed at home for longer instead of coming back to Leeds at the start of July to work as I didn't get enough shifts and it would have been cheaper for me and i could have focussed on getting more work done.

5 - I would have visited more places and taken more photos.



Specific things you will address this semester that should be useful?

1 - Invoicing a client and working out how much I should be getting paid.

2 - Getting a balance between research and designing.

3 - Business set up and where do you start and what things will I have to consider in order to create a successful and sustainable business in retail.

4 - Social networking and self promotion for both my own portfolio and online presence and for my clothing label.

5 - Presentation of my work. I think I let myself down a lot when it comes to submission. My photography doesn't reach it's full potential and I have struggled with using grids on digital submissions.



Things you feel we could address as a group?

1 - Interviews, do they happen often in the design industry or is it mostly based on your previous work? If interviews are still common I think it would be good to go over what sort of things we might get asked about and the things the interviewer would want to hear.

2 - Management and finance, weather it's being a freelancer or setting up a studio or a business. We've already touched on the subject but I think it would be really useful to look into it in a greater depth. Maybe even a workshop would be a good way to learn more.

3 - Organising group studio visits within the 3rd year.

4 - Organising a 3rd year exhibition to showcase some of our work in the LCA gallery space or externally with another gallery space.

5 - The most effective ways to promote our online presences e.g. social networks, online portfolios, what not to say and do/what should we say and do.



Things you feel we have not looked at in PPD you personally would like to address?

1 - When you set up a business with someone, how do you decide how to split the costs and earnings? Is it based on the input from each party? Who came up with the ideas? Who put the funding into it?

2 - what is the best way to invoice/ask for payment from a client? (do you just bluntly ask them because I feel quite awkward asking for payment)

3 - I hate confrontation and disagreement, how do you go about resolving an issue where the client wants something that you really don't like or you think wont work as well?

4 - Handling online payments and shipping good out to countries abroad. Because I'm starting a business in retail I need to know more about how to send the clothes to customers that could be buying from all over the world.

5 - Getting in touch with big retail warehouses who produce large orders of clothes.

PPD TUTORIAL 02/10/2012 - session 1

First tutorial back and it was just a brief introduction to what the sessions are about and how they will run over the next few weeks.

I know that most of the presentations and briefings are on the VLE but I learnt a long time ago that it absorb information better if I write it down and take notes. It's worth the hand cramp and thumb ache.


Notes:

- who are you now?
- and where are you heading?

- NETWORKING

        - college alumni
        - linkdin - contacts
        - business link

incase of court - copyright everything, get official audits, if people ask for a quote give them an estimate instead

TASK - for next week

List 5 things...

...you didn't know before the summer break that you know now...
...you would address differently then you did this summer...
...you will address this semester that should be useful...
...you feel we could address as a group
...you feel we have not looked at in PPD you personally would like to address.