PPP Evaluation

I feel positive about my personal branding, as I spent time developing it throughout the year, to ensure that the outcomes of design presence would successfully communicate my practice and personality.

Working with Suzanne and Mike as an ongoing collaboration is definitely a positive I have taken from this year, I just wish that we could have spent more time developing ideas and plans for the design studio, although we intend to do this now that we are ready to hand in and can focus on this over the summer. This year I have been able to further develop my interests in both printing and publishing design, entering into competition briefs where I could to build up my confidence and improve my abilities. I have also attempted to actively seek out interesting information about publishing design and printing to help improve my understanding of these subjects. 

I feel that I have been weaker in design strategy, where I was expected to communicate with studios. At first this was to do with a lack of confidence in my abilities and my portfolio, as I felt that there were aspects I was still to improve upon, however once I began emailing people, I realised that there isn't really anything to worry. Unfortunately these people are obviously very busy and so the studios I targeted, which ended up being local and Northern studios, did not reply to me. There was some communication between myself and Made studio in Liverpool, however after several back and forths which seemed to be going well, the emails ended and I was left feeling a little confused. I did have more success with my communications with Leicester Print Workshop, and although I have not been able to successfully secure a placement with a studio within this year, I have successfully organised for a placement during September, as they were unable to accommodate me any earlier. I am excited for this placement as I will be able to shadow print apprentices, explore different traditional print processes, as well as learn more about the business side of the studio. 

 I would like to improve upon my communication skills, and not be so afraid to ask questions of design studios. I would also like to improve upon my time management, especially in terms of working collaboratively so that we could have organised more and had a better idea of our plans for the upcoming year. I would also have begun communicating with studios a lot earlier, and pursued this more actively and persistently to ensure more visits. I would also like to improve upon my online presence, which at the moment I am not happy with because I have not built it myself as I have limited skills. If I could do the year again, I would most definitely focus more on my future after the course instead of worrying a lot about the present, and I would also want to research more heavily into the business of design. 

All this being said, I do feel like at the end of this module, and the end of these three years, I have been able to successfully gain a better understanding of my practice and the path I would like to carve for myself upon graduation, and I am thankful for the opportunities I have been given on the course to further myself. I intend to continue exploring my practice and developing my skills. 

Say My Name: Winterlight Pitch Feedback

Feedback from the clients we presented to for the Winterlight Festival Pitch that we received today. A little bit of motivation for the final push!

Group 2 Say My Name Studio

The presentation at the college by the students was engaging, friendly and extremely informative about the concept of the designs. We enjoyed the discussion and  remarked that the three students acted as a team, spoke clearly and presented themselves as professional designers.

The logo linked successfully to the brief as it was flexible and could be used in a variety of ways. We felt the idea of using a photogram was novel and very useable for Winterlight. The idea of photosensitive printing inks was exciting as was the concept of involving sponsors with a transparent window sticker. We felt this group used the idea of light and linked it successfully to the brief. The copywriting ideas "there are 3709 light bulbs..." was excellent and again this is an idea we would like to develop in conjunction with the group. We will be happy to work with Say My Name and develop the ideas for the Festival next December.

Email to I Like Birds

Andre, Susanne.

 

As a result of coming to the end of our studies with little desire to work for a larger design studio or agency, we three soon-to-be graduates are looking for some help and advice in setting up for ourselves. We understand that this is a competitive market so we don't take the following for granted, nor do we ask it with little respect for your business.

 

Quite the contrary, it is because of the reputation of I Like Birds that we would like to ask if it is possible to have a chat with you about how you got to your feet, who was there to help with all the legal and business side of things and if there is any roads that we should avoid walking down in our first year. 

 

Starting out for yourself is a daunting, exciting and nervous time for anyone, it is because of all these things that we are excited to get the ball rolling and meet people who found themselves in a similar situation. Can you help us?

 

Thank you,

Have a great week,

Lizzi, Mike and Suzanne.

Leeds, U.K.

Design Strategy: Invoice Set

Mike has been working hard on the business side of things for our studio plan, which includes this invoice set.

As a start to the work on the studio I have decided to draft a few things for the stationary set including a schedule and a contract cover sheet. 

Colours, type and details will be critted by the studio when we are ready to move forward. Using a planned Welcome Skatestore brief as an example client, I have created the following:

Say My Name: Inspirational Studios

So far our main inspirations have been studios that are set up in Europe. They seem to take a more experimental approach to design, sort of more arty and considered with more focus on conceptual work than some British studios. We just feel like our hopes for our studio fit more similarly with theirs, and we are really inspired by the work they produce. Not at all saying we are there yet, just that we'd like to be where they are. 

Bielke and Yang

I Like Birds

Snask

Folch Studio

Heydays

Oh Yeah Studio

Lord Whitney Studio Visit

Today we went on a studio visit to Lord Whitney: Mike has been in contact with them previously wanting to discuss how they have made their small business into such a success. They emailed back a group of people who they wanted to chat further with as understandably they are insanely busy and don't have the time to talk to all of us separately. They explained the story of how they got started, as well as discussing Leeds as a creative city and what they can do to help nurture it, instead of people automatically heading to London to pursue a career in design. As myself, Suzanne and Mike are definitely wanting to stick up North this talk was so useful and motivational. We got a chance to chat to Rebecca after the talk as well, discussing the whole Leeds/London thing in a bit more detail and also discussing our plans for the studio. We all left feeling a little boost of confidence which was much needed since it's getting so close to the deadline now. We've all decided that we will make more definitive plans and chat more in depth about the studio after we have handed in our modules. 

Pointers

The benefits of living up in Leeds: cheaper rent, less saturated market and when you do travel down to Leeds as a business you stick in people's minds more.

Work hard and be nice to people. If as a business you don't feel you're suitable for the job, the Leeds community is such that you can recommend another studio, and also have them recommend you. 

Also with clients if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. It's ok to walk away if you feel it's totally necessary. 

More boring jobs will be necessary to pay the bills.

Lord Whitney started small just doing what they loved, working full time jobs and pursuing their interests on evenings and weekends. 

Be determined. 

End of Year Show Pitch

Another pitch that myself, Suzanne and Mike worked on together. Unfortunately we were unsuccessful but I really enjoyed working on this and felt like our concept was strong.

The Beautiful Meme Portfolio Surgery

This is the portfolio I took in the portfolio surgery with The Beautiful Meme.
They had some very useful feedback for me regarding the presentation of the boards and the brief themselves. He was very positive, but he did note slight errors in some of the work that need amending prior to printing my final portfolio. He told me to blow up the images larger as well so that the boards have more impact. He also mentioned that with my Oasis boards I need to get rid of the imagery and work on creating higher quality visuals to work alongside the copy I've written. He also told me to change the logo for Winterlight so that the curves are perfect as it was very noticeable on the boards.

Winterlight Pitch

Myself, Mike and Suzanne successfully pitched for the Winterlight Festival, a live brief set by Janie from the fashion department. The job is to create the branding and identity for Sowerby Bridge's Winterlight Festival which is a one day event celebrating creativity in the Calder Dale area through live music and light art installations. Here is our pitch presentation. We felt very comfortable talking through our idea as we had discussed and thought through everything thoroughly, and the people we were pitching to were very friendly and excited about our ideas. There is not text on the boards as we felt it was more appropriate to use visuals and simply explain through everything in person.

Barclays Business Plan

We have downloaded this Barclays business plan to begin filling out. There are a lot of questions!

Say My Name: Contacting Studios

Mike drafted an email to send to a number of studios asking for advice on behalf of our studio. 

Possible studios for correspondence
 
hereticprintmakers@gmail.com
hello@box-head.co.uk
afs@folchstudio.com 
hello@middaystudio
hello@Querida.si
studio@heydays.no
http://www.bleed.no/
http://heydays.no/
http://www.nodeberlin.com/about_node.html
http://www.ohyeahstudio.no/
http://www.toxic.no/
http://www.hareidedesign.com/
hello (at) florafaunaworld.com 
hello@ilikebirds.de

Studio Plans: Visual Ideas

A selection of visuals that are serving as our inspiration for the Say My Name studio branding. We have sourced a selection of logos that we think would work well for the style of studio we want to have, which is slightly more experimental and international in style, as well as visuals relating to our plans for starting up such as printing. We really like the use of serif typefaces as this suits our styles separately as well as collaboratively.

Research: Setting Up/Running a Studio

Another Creative Bloq article with tips on setting up. 

Thinking about setting out on your own? Then check out these essential nuggets of advice on how to start a studio – from those who’ve made it.

Happy in your underpaid, under-appreciated design job? Thought not. Well you could always follow our tips to get a promotion - but you'd still be implementing someone else's ideas and marching to the beat of someone else's drum. So why not strike out on your own? Fortune, as they say, favours the bold.

For those creatives who are less experienced in the business side of things, it can be a huge challenge. That’s why we’ve contacted a pro selection of designers who have made it - and are responsible for starting some of the most successful studios around - to bring you some expert tips on to how to start a studio.

Want to know more? Check out our Design Studio Handbook, which covers everything you need to know to start and run a successful  design business.

01. You need to be ambitious...

To emulate the success of a studio like Mainframe, you need to start with the right attitude

"Don’t bother starting a studio if you don’t have the intention of being the best." Adam Jenns, founder and managing director of Mainframe, challenges you to succeed with any other attitude. "Few people ever get there," he adds. "But if you don’t start out with that intention you’ll get lost in a sea of one-man bands with novel company names."

02. ...but don't get carried away

It’s very tempting to believe your own hype, and design is certainly a business that demands a little esprit de corps. But that’s not a sound footing on which to start a studio, says Russell Townsend, managing director of Clusta. "Firstly, don’t kid yourself, and secondly never kid the people that make your studio work - your clients, staff, suppliers, bank manager and the tax man. They make your world go round."

03. There's nothing to be scared of

Loft Digital made it, and with a bit of a leap of faith, so can you!

When you start a design studio, essentials like renting out work space and hiring new people are big financial commitments, and they’re always terrifying in advance. For Nick Nettleton, director of Loft Digital, these are psychological barriers – you just have to take the plunge. "Once you’re on the other side, you wonder what all the fuss was about," he says.

04. Be prepared to take some risks

Following on from the last point, remember that logic and restraint are not always your best friends: they can lead to piecemeal decisions and compromise. “If you don’t take risks, you’ll stay a one-man band forever,” says Adam Jenns, founder and managing director Mainframe. “I rented a big studio very early on in Mainframe’s life, and it seemed to fill itself.”

05. Choose the right location

Location is king, ask any estate agent. So check out the area you’re thinking of setting up in thoroughly. "How accessible are the nearest supply shops? What about banks and nice pubs to meet clients? Is there parking?" asks Aurelia Lange. And finally, how accessible are your premises? Is it 24/7? If not, how will you manage all those late nights?

06. Start your studio in summer

Thinking about heating bills, illustrator and designer Aurelia Lange, founder Aurelia Lange, has some practical advice: "Setting up in the summer will give you a head start," she laughs. Also, research all your expenses thoroughly – public liability, insurance, rates and such: "Business Link is a great resource for advice on this."

07. Search on foot

Searching the internet for studio space might have the advantage of speed, but you won’t be getting there via the internet superhighway. It’s best to get out and walk around until you find somewhere you like. "This is a much better way to get a feel for an area, and you can also find some hidden gems that don’t appear on larger estate agent websites," says Bob Gray, design director of Red&Grey Design.

08. Quirky charm vs modern convenience

It may not be the designer's dream, but IKEA is cheap and convenient

"Think carefully about what you want from your office space," warns Josie Harold, managing director of Dirty Design. "The quirky older building that feels really individual and is cheaper than more traditional office space might seem perfect, but trust me, with no double-glazing the heating bills won’t be. And if you buy flatpack desks from IKEA, plan in three days to build them."

09. Find some natural light

Everyone wants a fancy studio with a hot tub and pool table, but do you really need it? There are larger priorities, says Russell Townsend, managing director at Clusta. "Make sure you have a suitable environment with good natural light and good security, and that it’s somewhere you are happy to spend a lot of time in – because you will."

10. Make it a home from home

Follow the example of Croatian advertising group Bruketa&Žinić OM and make your studio a home from home

You’ll be spending quite a bit of time in your studio, so make it your own. "You should create an environment that you want to spend time in," says Aurelia Lange. "Invest in some good speakers, a comfortable sofa, a kettle and some chocolate biscuits."

11. Don't splurge on furniture...

Yes, we'd all love that Eames chair. No, you don't need it

"When you start a studio, designer furniture is not a priority," says Bob Gray, design director at Red&Grey Design. "Our tables and chairs all came from a skip outside a major telephone company that was rebranding. If we were starting out now, we would look out for liquidation sales and office closures."

12. ... but a big table is useful

This cool swing table design by Christopher Duffy may be out of your price range, but some kind of communal table is essential

Communal spaces offer many opportunities to pool your talents and bounce ideas around, so it makes sense to capitalise on this when you start a studio, rather than just giving fate a free hand. Nat Hunter, D&AD executive committee member, reveals his office must-have: "A big table for everyone to eat lunch together."

13. Plan how you'll use the space

Put some thought into how to make best use of your space

When you start a studio, think about how you would like your space to work for you long term, and what works best for the business. You might want to work in an open-plan space all together with music, laughter and fun. "However, you need to think how that will work when you’ve got phone calls to make or you’re trying to write a brief – or have clients in," says Josie Harold, managing director of Dirty Design.

14. Design a decent filing system

Without a decent system to help you find older files – real as well as digital – you are simply increasing your workload. Glenn Garriock, creative director at Atelier 1A, is big on filing systems for exactly this reason: "Having a methodical filing system will spare you a lot of rummaging around," he reasons. "You never know when one of your older files or documents could come in handy to sort out a misunderstanding, or help you with your final billing."

15. Set regular back ups from the start

Read our article to find the best backup method for you

"Back everything up," advises Glenn Garriock, creative director at Atelier 1A. This doesn’t have to be expensive – you can pick up a one-terrabyte external hard drive for less then £100 these days, on which you can create a bootable carbon copy of your main hard drive. "Couple this with an online back-up service, such as Backblaze or CrashPlan, and you should be sorted."

• Read: The 10 best ways to back up your design work

16. Buy the best kit you can afford...

It’s true that you get what you pay for, and since a designer’s main tool is his or her computer, it pays to get the best you can afford when you start a studio. "As a freelancer, I’m always on my MacBook Pro, which I find sufficient - even for artworking," says Tom Skipp. "And I have also recently subscribed to the iPhone generation, which means that I can respond to people immediately. It’s essential to appear available at all times for clients."

17. ... but don't overshoot on specs

These days the specs on mid-level machines are generally fine for all but the most demanding of design applications. "So try and make sure that you are very sensible about software and, in particular, hardware," says managing director at Clusta, Russell Townsend. "Assess what you really need. Video and moving images are far more demanding than design for print."

Research: Setting up With Friends

This is an article from Creative Bloq, discussing the positives and negatives of working with friends.

Five studios on how to make a success of working with friends – and how to avoid the pitfalls.

You've been friends for years. You have the same taste in books, music, 3D movies, so of course you'll be in agreement on every single aspect of your creative direction. Your studio would be half work space, half clubhouse. Morning meetings - coffee and a catch-up. Long lunches. Knock off early. It'd be all the fun of the weekend augmented and stretched out across the work week - with the bit of designing in between.

Setting up shop with your mates may sound like every designer's dream. But does the reality match the fantasy? We've seen what can happen when designers fall out, so we caught us with five studios to find out how you can succeed when starting a business with your friends.

Hvass&Hannibla created this visual identity for the children's department at Copenhagen's central library

"I think it's an advantage to know a lot about each others' lives and personalities - it gets easier to understand another person's behaviour and reactions the longer you've known them, which I can only see as an advantage to help minimise the amount of misunderstandings," says Nan Na Hvass.

Hvass works with Sofie Hannibal as multidisciplinary art and design duo Hvass&Hannibal. The pair loosely founded their studio in 2006 - though they met at school almost a decade before - and have gone on to work for a strings of big-name clients.

"Of course it's easy to get tired of each other, but working together becomes the format of the friendship, and you get used to it being that way. I don't see it as a problem. I think the worst thing is probably if you split up, and what happens to the relationship then."

To avoid this, Hvass advices trying to work on a few projects before going into business to see how it works out. "It's pretty easy to find out quite fast whether you have the right dynamic together or not. Don't expect that because you are good friends with someone you will automatically work well as a professional team. Make sure to take some time away from each other once in a while, like a sabbatical or a bit of space to get inspired elsewhere. It doesn't have to be a lot, but I think it's healthy."

Black Devil Disco Club – Black Moon White Sun. LP packaging by Non-Format for Lo Recordings

"One of the assumptions you might make when considering working with mates," says Jon Forss, "is that everyone is more likely to cooperate, compromise and get along without any conflict, but, actually, conflict is good. Conflict is a vital part of creativity. The best work won't reveal itself without some kind of battle."

Forss founded seminal studio Non-Format with Kjell Ekhornin in 2000, working with the biggest of big-name clients - such as Adobe, Coca-Cola and Nike.

The creative says friction is good - friction gets things done and done well. "Only consider working with your mates if you know for sure they can handle confrontation because it'll surface at some point. And that's a good thing. It'll be fun. Trust me."

Art direction by Lundgren+Lindqvist for Markus Form. Photo by Kalle Sanner.

Andreas Friberg Lundgren agrees that conflict is not the problem, but spending eight hours a day together may change your friendship irrevocably.

"You are likely not to to spend as much of your free time with them as you might have before going into business together," theLundgren+Lindqvist co-founder says. "The result of this might be that your friendship slowly transitions into a business partnership rather than a friendship in the traditional sense."

Lundgren+Lindqvist is a Swedish studio specialising in design and development. Lundgren says setting up friends can help ensure you hit the ground running - crucial to for new studios in an increasingly competitive climate. "A definite upside of working with your friends," he says, "is that you are in sync from the beginning - an understanding that might otherwise require a lot of time to build."

karlssonwilker's most recent most recent NeoCon Sculpture, created for Wolf-Gordon

New York City-based karlssonwilker inc was founded by Icelander Hjalti Karlsson and German Jan Wilker in 2000 - finding fans in Nike, Nintendo and Time Magazine.

Designer Megan Elevado is in the perfect position to see how the dynamic has bred success, which she boiled down to two top tips.

"Do start a company with someone you like and respect," Elevado says, "Not with someone whose "skill set" you think would complete you. Don't take it all so seriously and celebrate your self-employment and independence: no need to mimic other companies, it's your kingdom to play with."

Nicolas Hardy founded Factory 311 in 2007; it now has offices all over the world.

"Don't rush into setting up a physical studio," says Factory 311'screative director, Nicolas Hardy. In this day and age things can be done online - remember overheads can kill you. "Try to keep as much activity between you and your partners online until things really take off and you have a steady client based."

Hardy speaks from experience. He founded Factory 311 in 2007. The agency specialises in imagery and motion graphics for advertising, fashion and sports, while also representing a burgeoning roster of illustrators and photographers. Its ever-growing client list includes football clubs Arsenal and Manchester United, apparel brands Nike and Lacoste and international magazines Cosmopolitan and Vanity Fair.

Hardy began by working out of his flat, slowly adding to his team and roster with people he admired. This, he says, has been central to his success.

"Every idea or concept starts from some kind of chat with your friends. it only comes to fruition if you or your friends have some sort of expertise with a certain skill. A big advantage of setting up an agency with friends or like-minded creatives is that everybody puts in an equal share of time to make things happen which makes it more financially viable and also takes a lot of pressure off everyone and make your initial dream or idea more of a reality.

"I think some problems can happen when those skills cross over and if those responsibilities aren't looked after, some areas of the company could start to suffer. I think it is really important that you have a strong focus and direction before you start getting other people involved."