Creative Industry

10.11.2015

BIRCH

Today during the class session we've spent some time with Elliot Hammer who is an art director in the London-based design studio called The Birch (Birch Creative Limited). He's created the business together with his best friend and he's told his own story about finding himself in the creative industry. It also reminded me of other stories about the beginnings of well-known design studios I have heard last year during the annual celebration of contemporary illustration 'Pick Me Up' at Somerset House, London. It's not easy at first and it doesn't bring a lot of profits (if any at all), but slowly it can develop and most of all to give a great satisfaction. The 'kick starter' is always communication, getting to know the industry from the inside, meeting new people for advice and to find the clients. As Elliot explained, very important is also the online presence. It needs to be welcoming, very functional and beautifully designed/crafted.
''We find the best projects start with a phone call, but an email is good too.'' - that's the friendly front line on the Birch website in the contact bookmark that Elliot has encouraged to use and been really proud of using, as it can easier gain someone new in the client list. I really like the balance of information about the projects and client on his website. It is well considered and it doesn't overwhelm the viewer. It's friendly and professional looking. It welcomes everyone from single need for solution to bigger and longer opportunities for cooperation (''whether that’s on big or small screens'' - About Us bookmark on the Birch web). However if it was mine, I would add some more background information about the team and studio itself.
It's definitely very important to emphasise that the design product will be carefully considered, thoughtful, well-made and fully adapted to customer's needs.
There were a few works of this studio I particularly liked, while looking through the website. I also like how diverse their offer is (everything from branding, apps and website to films and photographs), especially the photography bit, as I would like to use photography in my own design work (there is few people working in a team for Birch company and one of them is a professional photographer).

 All above images are taken from The Birch website http://www.thinkbirch.com/ accessed on 15th Nov 2015.

Meeting Elliot Hammer was very friendly and informative experience and his tips will be surely very useful in my own development and practice in the design industry. One of the best things that happened was me realising that web design is not as scary as I have thought. All this time I was thinking of necessity of coding and I didn't even know it can be done in Photoshop. I got some great tips and useful website addresses relating to it. I'm definitely going to try it, if not for actual work in the future, then surely to create my own website for personal use. I've also spoken to Elliot and he'll be happy to show me his studio in London (it will be possibly arranged on January) and I've also offered to do some voluntary work for design experience over the summer (he will let me know about it closer the time). It was very positive day and I was truly happy I haven't missed it.


20.10.2015

Kaavous Clayton - Minories lecture and exhibition

It was very pleasing meeting Kaavous who looks after the Minories Gallery in Colchester, Essex. He told us quite a bit about gallery's functioning and showed us around. Then we had nice little discussion about the role of traditional painting in contemporary times and how artwork made by big painters in history become trashy and unworthy as replicas, cheaply sold in the corner shops. It is definitely an amazing feeling to see an actual painting (for example I've seen Vincent van Gogh's original sunflowers in the National Gallery in London and it was completely different experience than looking into a reproduction here). Original art holds the mystery and value even today or maybe especially nowadays.



20.12.2015

Lord Project & Judyta Wolek

Me and Judyta used to work in catering in London for a little while. She has discovered a passion for photography along with her passion for cooking and its visual appearance. Today she runs her own photography/creative business in Lublin, Poland and she became my inspiration. Her commitment to what she does can be clearly seen through her work and activity on social media. I really like the style of her photographs and courage for starting freelance work. It's big part of what I love myself and that is probably why I appreciate it a lot.



12.01.2016

Chop Doctor Vinyl Designs is a small business owned by Emma MacCarroll based in Nuneaton, Birmingham. I had a chance to speak to her about her wall decoration vinyl design and stickers for a variety of things from car fronts to tiny cups. She is also capable of applying designs onto clothing. I got to see how its made and get to know a great method of printing out and practical using for graphic outcomes. It may be great for self-promoting, starting a business, for fun... it's great to know extra options and processes.