Website - Nearly Live!

WWW.LAURENFORRESTER.CO.UK

Happy to say my new website is nearly up and running - all the templates are in place now just waiting for a good friend of mine to code them into a wordpress template then I'm good to start uploading - check back soon, should be done in the next few weeks!

Portfolio Update - May 2011

Website Mock ups

So, I was going to spend today finishing off an fmp brief - but as always I've been side tracked.
I started talking to a friend of mine again about coding my website, and he's got some free time on his hands so I figured why not just go for it today!

I never really wanted a really posh portfolio site - it seems a bit fake for me in a way.. I've always been one for honesty, and I like the idea of having a blog that I'm able to update and open discussions on, as well as having my portfolio available if people are interested. It also allows me to not only post the finished pieces of my work, but the construction and development process.. This whole idea fits my way of working so much better - and it also means that once the template is up and running it's incredibly easy to update.. I have a habit of totally forgetting html coding moments after I've finished with it.

Anyway, here's the basic layout in a few variations -

Visit - Brand New____

Another studio visit - this time with the more print based studio - brand new. I really enjoyed speaking to the guys down there, conducting and interview for my context book just turned into a chat.. which was quite fun.

I left them with my mini portfolio/leave behind book, which they seemed to really appreciate - and as I left they asked my if I'd like to come back for a placement at all - to which I said yes, obviously. Placement starts in July, after I've moved house and everything - Pretty excited about that!

They seem to have a really hands on approach with their interns, and I was talking to them about my limited digital experience, they seemed really positive that they could change that anyway. Overall a great experience and confidence boost!

PPD Presentation

I had my presentation yesterday morning - it would have gone better if I wasn't so damn nervous! I was absolutely fine til I got up! No amount of preparation, or non-preparation seems to have any effect on it either.. I guess confidence is something that comes with practice when it comes to this kind of thing. Anyway - freaking out aside - I was relatively happy with how it all went, and watching everyone elses was really useful too as they were all so different. You can really start to see where everyones going, and all the various pathways they're finding for themselves - it was difficult to compare my presentation against everyone else for this reason, everyone is doing different things! But I'm happy with what I included, it's all relevant to me and my own practice.

Visit - Teabag Studio

Went down to Teabag Studios the other day to conduct an interview (I'll upload it when I've got it typed up! But I also went to scope the place out - they had some interesting ideas on where graphic design seems to be going, or rather where their own place sits within the market, I think they're pretty focussed on going down the digital route - which I think is a bit sad, because there's always a need for printed stuff - everyone likes to hold things in their hands physically.. you cant always have something on screen, but I certainly understand their logic anyway.

I'm not sure I'll follow it up with a placement request - but they were a lovely couple of guys and a nice studio.

Portfolio / 'leave behind' Booklet Finished

Really happy with this booklet so far - it will continue to develop and change as I do, but for now it does the job nicely!
The selection of work I have included differs from that of my mini PDF portfolio - which most agencies will have seen when I initially email them anyway.. So it's a nice way of getting them to see more of my work without having to flick through my whole portfolio. Also, I plan to vary the content of the booklet depending on the studio I've contacted - I have quite a varied portfolio after 3 years of studying, and not all of it is relevant to everyone I contact!

Portfolio / 'leave behind' Booklet Development

Miniature mock ups of the leave behind booklet - 

 

The cover is a light grey card, with a really light weight stock for the pages, all branded to tie in with my stationery - square format to echo my choice of logo.

The cover includes a variation on my position statement, and the most important bits from my C.V, my education, experience and skills.

I actually really like the miniature version.. really cute! but a there's quite a lot of information going in it - so I think a larger format would be more appropriate.

Portfolio / 'leave behind' Booklet

Going down to Teabag Studio on Friday to do some stuff for the context book, ask a few questions and the like - but it would be a missed opportunity not to leave them something to remember me by - so I've come up with a plan for a booklet/cv/business card general purpose solution to all those scenarios where I don't want to bring my full portfolio - but I want to make an impression.

Here's the plan - It'll be printed tomorrow

New Business Cards

Ahead of the Creative Milk Round event on Wednesday, I've decided to update my identity and business cards. There's currently two logo elements that i'm working with - the big block square shape was that was derived from my initials, and then the framing device that I could use as an alternative.

I've decided to just use the framing device for now - as it was my intention the the two logos would never really be seen together. I think it takes some confidence to just abandon the standard logo conventions - so that's exactly what I'm going to do.

BACKS:
Going with the bottom left variation.

FRONTS:
Going with the top right variation.

Getting these printed tonight - and I plan to foil block the front with black foil.

A list of Agencies

So after about 4 hours of endless internet trawling I've decided to keep a running list of some of the agencies in the area - and by the end of this week I'm going to have e-mailed all of them with either my portfolio, a request regarding my context book or simply to say hello.

My plan at the moment involves staying in Leeds after we graduate for at least a year or so before moving on. I know the south beckons, but I'd like to stay here for the time being to find my feet.. Having said that I do plan to look in the surrounding cities - York and Manchester are both easily commutable from here.. Nothing set in stone obviously, and so far I'm keeping my options as open as possible.
Anyway -

The Leeds List

• B&W - Design Context research
• Brass - Design Context research
• Teabag - Portfolio Feedback
• Propaganda - Design Context research
• Boxhead - Design Context Research/Studio Visit
• Design Project - Portfolio Feedback
• Studio 116 - Portfolio Feedback  
• Vapour - Studio Visit
• Grain - Studio Visit
• Allgood - Studio Visit
• The Consult - Design Context research
• Brand New - Studio Visit
• Analogue - Design Context research
• England - Studio Visit 
• Elmwood - Design Context research

The York List

• Public Designers - Studio Visit
• Nugenko - Studio Visit
• Bivouac - Studio Visit

The Manchester List

• Music - Context Research

Other

• View Creative  (North Wales) - Studio Visit
• Definition (Barnsley) - Studio Visit
• Blue Stone (Harrogate/London) - Studio Visit
• North Light (Halifax) - Studio Visit 
• Two Design (Cornwall) Context Research

THESE LISTS WILL BE UPDATED OVER TIME.

Personal Identity - Update

Some slightly altered versions of my logo, I think the one on the far right is the one I will go with.

I want my brand to be composed of several different elements that can be used in conjunction with each other or separately - One thing I desperately want to avoid is the standard logo applied to a business card/letterhead senario, I think as a designer this displays a distinct lack of imagination.

I did like the idea of using an arrow in my branding, but as time went on it started to feel unoriginal (because it is) and a bit of a cop out (because it is). So I've opted for the reverse out right angle, which can in turn be used on it's own... like so:

I decided to stay with Avenir as my typeface of choice. I used it a lot last year... it comes in quite a few different weights, and it just fits so well with the rest of my branding.

Website Layout

PPD has suffered some neglect for the past month or so. Going to recfiy this this week, starting with my website. Just had a quick look at my options, and I really love this layout by Design Project.

It's a little bit difficult to be original when your options for a website are as limited as mine. All my knowledge of web building has been forgotten over the months, but I'll try my hand at building from scratch before I resort to Indexhibit I think.

Duffield Print Visit

A few of us went to visit Duffield Printers on Kirkstall Road today, courtosy of Hannah Jackson's organsiation... Thanks Hannah!

Plate etching process..

 
The digital printer - interestingly enough this is a very popular, and cheap alternative to the litho process, and the quality is pretty much identical - well superior to inkjet and laser printing. The guys we spoke to told us that the technology and market for this kind of printing is on the rise, and could well take over tradition lithographic printing.

 Paper Storage...

Two litho printers.. we checked out the big 10 colour one - this one could do both sides at once: 4 colours for CMYK on one side, 4 for CMYK on the other, and then two left over for spot varnishes and special inks.

Paper feeding uses suction pads to shift the paper from the pile..

The print quality is all managed by computer, so the quantity of ink can be managed in minute detail..