Creative CV development

At this stage it is crucial to be creating better work, but also crucial to be looking forward to after university finishes and seizing work oppotunities. Two junior/intern positions have arose at two studios I personally find so exciting compared to others- Robot Food and LOVE., two huge packaging/brand identity companies.

Having only realised I would enjoy making packaging after Employability Week, my packaging projects are now underway but unfinished in time to apply for these jobs swiftly so I want a CV that will give me a chance to show my willing character and positivity as a member of their team.

i want to keep it simple as we have been swayed against overcomplicated cvs in workshops on career track tuesdays so i will begin with...
-character
I am optimistic and enthusiastic about ideas and concepts within working areas, and strive to make design work stand out. My aim is to produce professional work which has fun and engaging aspects to it which can reach out to the target audience in a way other competitors don't. I am always on board with taking feedback and working to improve my design work to benefit the project and outcome, and enjoy discussing and building exciting ideas with likewise designers. Compromise and organisation is key, and being motivational and positive to be around is very important to me.
-projects I have been involved in
secret 7, YCN, penguin book award, winning in first year exhibition concept pitch at bank house leeds, getting in to the final at an app concept competition, talks by visiting professionals such as Robot Food/Studio Blup/Alphabet/Only, visits to Printers and design studios
-best skills
graphics tablet illustration, illustration, editorial, copyrighting that stands out, image editing, vectors, bringing ideas/concepts together in a set, consistency, posters, type experiments, screenprint, painting, communication
-team work
various retail jobs such as Paperchase in which I have been challenged in all areas, working in teams to pitch ideas, collaboration with internal/external designers, compromise with clients, obtaining information from peers for end of year show, giving feedback in groups
-design interests
Campaigns, brand identity, (most recently) packaging, poster design, design for music, promotional material, zines. However, depending on the brief I love to work to new concepts.
-awards
Creative Scholar of the year 2012 awarded by The Ideas Foundation
-workshops
Screenprint, letterpress, book binding, digital print, recruiting creative graduates workshop, LinkedIn workshop, 
-placements
2 week placement upcoming with the George Asda design team in Leeds which I feel really excited and ready for.
-currently working on
2 packaging briefs, a campaign competition brief, designing skateboards for mental health charity, a poster exhibition, interior design for mental health spaces, brand identity for a festival, upcoming portfolio surgery with Buttercrumble Creative


Going to bring this forward to tutor in a sign up tutorial to make sure this is presented well and includes everything.

Made by the woods logo live brief submission

'MadeByTheWoods is a small, independent business specialising in woodcraft.

They are looking for an artist to design logo that is recognisable and highlights the ethos of the brand.
The logo will be used online (website, social media, etc.) and for print (business, cards, promotional materials, invoices, etc.)Consider:
Origins – woodland/reclaimed wood/recycling
Muted, natural colours
Include the name: MadeByTheWoods'

I have been trying to submit as much as possible and try new styles and challenges. Having just got illustrator I am finding it difficult to use but want to practice now rather than later, and chances like these for side projects to design for are a good opportunity to expand my skills.

Penguin Book Cover Award adult non-fiction submission

I am at a stage where I want my portfolio to show a more professional polished side that isn't all bright colours, and experimenting with this category rather than choosing the fiction categories is testament to this.

Femzine London brief submission

A zine I follow on Instagram based in London put out a call for artwork, and also a brief requiring photography documenting nights out in the club/queer scene. I took a chance and submitted some old photographs from a drag event I attended! I also submitted images that would work with their feminist element for the zine.

UPDATE: The reply expressed my work would either clash with their club photographs and that the drawings wouldn't fit the theme, but I gained positive feedback that they really liked my drawing style which is a confidence boost.

27 Club Exhibition Submission

Originally intended for an extended practice brief, as I really love designing for anything music related I decided to do this as a fun side project to submit. I began painting Jimi Hendrix (my favourite of all the 27 club) but then considered conversations being had more and more as I edge towards the end of my degree...I want to create work that is tailored to my portfolios goals. Instead of painting Jimi, I did a quick type piece celebrating my all time favourite Hendrix song 'Little Wing'. The waves represent the psychedelic nature of the 60's and the style of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, while honouring the lyrics in the song 'riding with the wind'.

As the backdrop I used a pattern of one of Jimi's fabulous wavey prints he was known for. The photo filter on this makes it appropriately vintage and keeps the type from being too brash. I am submitting the following as options.

I am trying to experiment more with typography as it hasn't been one of my focuses throughout the degree but is important for applying to design studio jobs. Although my portfolio is versatile it really needs more typography/digital design/packaging etc.

International Women's Day 2018 Call Out briefs submissions

An exhibition like this one is one i'd naturally love to be part of as it links to our university and the theme of woman relates to my own illustration I do on the side of uni. Any call outs I receive if I can work towards in some way, I want to seize every opportunity. Exhibitions are especially important as they reach out to a new audience and you never know who may be part of that audience.

As the theme is woman and the power of the piece I had exhibited at Wharf Chambers with Girl Gang Leeds is all about a female embracing her feminity and power as a woman, I decided to put this forward.


This was developed for the exhibition from my own personal drawings to cater to the 'reclaiming pink theme', so as well as submitting this I decided to put forward drawings only shared on Instagram, with the theme of woman and power being within them.

These have all been suggested over in the email, and I have added that I will change and develop these specifically for the exhibit depending on if they pick one they see as most appropriate or they enjoy for the theme.

This screenprint was for my final COP practical as one of the protest posters I screenprinted in ode to See Red Women's Workshop's style of protest posters. This could be chosen to curate a more varied exhibition exploring different woman's issues etc. The brief is rather vague so I wanted to send over a few illustrations I enjoy doing on the side.

Evolution Print Trip

As well as funky bright posters which I was very grateful for, from this trip I saw how an enthusiastic and vibrant leader can make a sometimes seemingly dull process engaging and exciting. For me it is very mechanical the printing and is not something I would go in to as I want to be designing, but seeing the business and its heritage, and the jobs they get, is proof the creative industry and print is still a necessity.

Employability Week- The Elephant Room

With this talk what I took from it was that cultural strategists are in high demand right now. This seems shocking to some but as older generations in massive companies continually mess up offending minorities, and failing to employ and pay equally women, it is important for our generation to lead the way.

The Elephant Room are leading the way in this sense, and I particularly loved Shanice's refreshing honesty and the fact she wants her friends and groups around her to grow with her. Promote talent if it is great talent, no matter who they are, where they are from or what level they are at. It is forgotten too much to help those who might not see it as an option to do their talent as a career. Their positive enrichment of talent and making a change was so inspiring and I get a good feeling about the future of the creative industry.

Employability Week- Robot Food

This was definetley one of the most exciting talks of the week, about packaging which would have surprised me prior to the talk. Although a huge part of graphic design, packaging never appealed to me as a career but seeing how I can input on massive brands through not just design but through copyrighting (which i realise i love because i get bored with too much formality) made me want to do some packaging briefs! Also the drive is applying for Robot Food's vacancies soon as possible because they were so cool!

Robot food
-branding/packaging/advertising
-identify personality traits and aspects/values of the brand
-add personality to brands, like they have done with Seabrook!
-Keep designs simple and memorable
-Think about extras with a rebrand- stickers, merch, photoshoots
-Instagram is currently the best place to show your work
-tailor your portfolio depending on the job
-identify consumer gap
-be unexpected
-take an interest in your environment for getting ideas
-what isn't working anymore? identify it
sketching>research>concept>assigned roles

Employability Week- Rose Nordin

A very useful part of this talk was learning that there are artist residencies you can apply for which I didn't really know before, which will be useful if I can't find or get bored of an internship or job.

-zines are a way of getting contacts/collaborating/getting talking
-for residency opportunities look to
Arts Council Website
ArtsFund
Artquest
Artlegs
-The average pay per day from junior designer is £175, price yourself fairly