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. 

Leicester Print Workshop

On Wednesday I went to visit Leicester Print Workshop and despite the difficulties I had getting there and back, it was a pretty sucessful trip. I have organised a placement (only about a year late) with them, but unfortunately due to the fact that the next few months are going to be so busy, I discussed doing the placement with them in summer.
I was given a tour around the studio space, which is jam packed with print equipment of all kinds, including screen printing, lino cut, litho and letterpress. There was an incredible selection of letterpress type, so I'm hoping to shadow the letterpress technician when I go for the placement.
The placement will be two weeks long, and I will be helping out with the actual running of the workshop as opposed to doing my own work. This is really what I want to get out of the placement, as I hope to one day work in or be running my own print workshop and so I need to know how one actually runs and survives.

Communications with Well Made Studio

A speedy reply! I wasn't expecting it, but Gemma from Well Made replied about an hour after I emailed their studio which is amazing!

Emails to Studios

Hoping there are no blatant mistakes in my emails that I've missed, I proof read them about 50 times for fear that I would say something wrong or offensive. 

Studio Visit: Studios to Contact

Local Design Studios (Lancashire) :

Wash

The Chase

House

March

Well Made

Further Afield:

B&B

Here