Monday 25 November 2013

'Mates' done well!

In February [see tab London 2013], FD Graphics made a return trip to Adam & Eve having caught up with them at their previous home in Covent Garden. With a new business partner [DDB] and a new home in Paddington and looking every inch a proper 'Empire' the group on their last stage of their creative week away arrived at the Agency's new front door.

Provided by Katie and Sarah the group had the chance to meet and chat with a couple of Adam&EveDDB creatives Aidan [left] and Laurent. Later on the tour the editor had the chance to stop by their 'desks' to hand over cans of Uncle Joe's Mint Balls and chat about the way the lads go about their work. Great fun.


Their latest [published] work - and becoming iconic at this time of the year - the John Lewis Christmas advert, follows on from the snowmen last year and the expectant child the year before. Featured in Campaign Creative Fix the guys explain how they went about the creative process and all the off-shoots a campaign like this 'demands' - the number one download on iTunes for Lily Allen, a full interactive book, a Christmas card maker, twitter accounts for the bear and the hare and a projection  on the South Bank.
Not many Universities, never mind a college from Wigan, get the opportunity to meet and pick the brains of such renowned creatives . . . and it's an enormous thrill to see Aidan's and Laurent's work again making such an impact.

Sunday 24 November 2013

Your future is in the STATS!

It's time for Level 3 students to make a decision about their next GIANT step in to Higher Education. One of the biggest decisions of their lives - whatever happens over the next three years WILL shape their future careers.

Mum's and Dad's want their kids to gain a BA Honours, [and why shouldn't they?] and that is the very reason the editor pushed to change the two year graphic design course from a Higher National Diploma [HND] to a university-linked Foundation Degree.

But surely, a HE course at little provincial Wigan & Leigh College School for the Arts can't be as good as a 'life-changing' three year stint in the educational stratosphere?

You wouldn't imagine so . . . what do students think of other graphic courses?

UniStats is an independent government comparison site, that provides information about undergraduate courses for prospective students - and it makes very interesting reading. So how happy are students about their course at universities?

Above University of Leeds . . . and University of Central Lancashire [UCLAN] and below Liverpool John Moores and University of Chester.
And what a surprise [really?] Wigan School for the Arts Foundation Degree . . .

Saturday 23 November 2013

Dearly Departed 2013

The editor was recently questioned as to why he hadn't published a 'goodbye' to FD Purple [2013] like he had done previously for FD Orange [2011] and Green [2012] . . .

Well, he did - bottom of the posts, older posts . . . onto the next page and there under the heading "Building a Future"
For those happy to be photographed from the left : Chris/Matty/Emily/Tom/Danny/BigG/Ryan/Dec/Tash . . . with the exception of Matty [UCLAN] - all have gone on to the University of Salford.

Bobbie Blur - if at first you don't succeed . . .

 . . . try, try and try again - that's the adage from William Edward Hickson and never more appropriately applied than in the case of an FDgreen student, Rob Blair.

We're transported back to the summer of 2007 and the despicable happens, someone removes a boxful of expensive marker pens from a studio - gone forever. When the owner, Rob, returns to college the loss is too much to bear and half way through his two year National Diploma course, against advice from his course leader and the editor, he packs it in!!

Forward another year and Rob decides to comes back to college and completes his Diploma which he does with flying [non-marker] colours. His next move is to join the FD course and that's when he at last finds himself.

Rob Blair has always had the talent, like many in his elevated position he doubts he actually has and is continually hard on himself. But one thing he always did was 'communicate' with the editor. When he hit a brick wall - which he did often, he'd take his graphic problem to the editor . . . and regularly threw his hands up in astonishment as a solution was popped back to him in the blink of an eye!

In the early days known for his inability to make a creative decision, he would design himself straight through and out the other side of a good idea. But as the back cover to his most creative piece clinically states . . . the penny finally dropped.

Strong typographically he won several live pitches on the FD course, although one did actually come back and bite him as he experienced dealing with the 'cut-throat'-money-swapping-hands world of freelance business. He also took a staring role [or his vehicle did] in FDpurples "Day in the Life" confessional featured further down the postings.
When a local design company came looking for an up-and-coming 'creative' Rob fitted the bill. Interviewed, trail period and now working full time . . . and to acknowledge the support during his two years on the FD course, Rob [far right] came back to show FDcyan his interview portfolio and explain what the role he plays at the design consists of and how much of what he learnt in the FD studio has helped him settle in to what he has always wanted to be . . . . a graphic designer. Well done Bertie!

Monday 11 November 2013

London in a Jiffy!

Being reflective . . . it's always a bonus . . . and following the trip to London in February and the way the first and second years 'bonded' the editor thought it would be a good opportunity to get the old year twos and new year ones together for a whistle-stop, one night stop-over in the capital.

Usual start a coach trip to Piccadilly . . . only the driver couldn't find the turbo boost so although leaving college at 8.30 the increasing nervous editor was relieved when the coach came to a halt outside the station at 10.05!

All aboard the 10.35 . . . . On arriving in London, nothing has changed - it's still as bonkers as ever. First obstacle to negotiate Euston Road! Down to the hotel, check in and then ready to start the next part of the journey. With our appointment with Pentagram only at 4pm - the editor and assistant decided to take the group to Portobello Road.

 The market was in full swing - plenty of stalls selling food - just as well for the hungry group . . . then a short walk to first of all admire the Bankys rat [which is still there] next to the Cock & Bottle and then into Pentagram Yard.
There was a warm welcome from our host Domenic Lippa, a partner in the company, joined soon after by Leah Speakman an associate partner and a lass from up-north - who actually had a shocking confession an hour or so later.

The 'hushed' group sat and listened intently to Domenic's explanation of Pentagram from the early days of he five guys who kicked it all off, through the five offices and then all the partners. He then went on to showcase his work at the company - all brilliant stuff.
Presentation over . . . questions from the floor? NONE!! Well there was one but the editor will save Hayley's blushes who confirmed you can ask a daft question. Leah returned to offer the group a tour of the studio . . . it was then that she dropped the bomb-shell!!!

"Did I tell you I got married?!"

With jaw firmly on his chest the editor enquired as to who was the lucky guy . . . none other than John Rushworth another one of the partners in Pentagram - educated up in Preston as it happens.

The group received a little memento of their afternoon and all reconvened in the Cock & Bottle to wait for Domenic and Leah. What a difference a 'fizzy-pop' makes you couldn't shut them up. To quote Domenic     "I thought it was funny that once they all felt more relaxed [in the pub] the questions came thick and fast. And to be honest they were questions I've never been asked before. They're a bright bunch - you should be proud of them." http://www.pentagram.com

The following morning with one or two sore heads [as ever - when will they learn?] it was the short journey over the road from the hotel to the wonderful art-deco car park that is McCann's [minus Erickson] ad agency.

A new contact this year in the rather wonderful and much admired by the end of the visit Laura Grieve. From the 'library-like' feel of Pentagram to the hustle and bustle of several floors of the advertising world. A new decor, a trip to the basement to view Craft, up and through the planning departments and buyers, account executives and creatives to the roof garden where McCann bring clients during the summer - quite amazing. http://mccannlondon.co.uk

Back through the floors to our original room and another member of McCanns join us. Hetti Day is the account executive on the Subway account - an account that the editor used to work on back in 2002 in Blackpool when the fast-food outlet only had 56 stores . . . not like now over 1600!!!

Dealing with a demanding client is something that comes with the territory whether in a multi-million pound billing agency or a three man team in a business park . . . hoops and fire come to mind.
After a great couple of hours we were out on the street again. Then it was free choice for the students. A good group were heading for the Rob Ryan exhibition in Piccadilly http://www.misterrob.co.uk - then followed by a trip down to the Natural History Museum. Another group headed for Tate Modern, a small group went north to Camden Town . . . and the less energetic made their way to the British Museum. The editor and assistant had been to the amazing market in Camden http://www.camdenlock.net before heading down the Northern Line to the Design Museum.
The trip ended on a real high [for the editor] when the nice people at Virgin came and took the group to the platform gate before anyone else . . . always a stressful final act as the platform number is posted on the departure boards only to find the group is at the other end of the concourse. Thank You Richard Branson [Sir]!!

Two hours later . . . back inth' Wigan!

Sunday 10 November 2013

Brand Development

The first module in Year Two is Design & Production. Unlike last year rather than let the students select the topic our industry professional, Tony Lythgoe, created the briefs from his time-served experience, changed the name to protect the innocent and delivered to our three groups the opportunity to see how difficult it is to work as a team and to answer the specific requirements of a client.

The Teams called UpperCase / Blank Page / Creative Design Now had to tackle the rebrand of a independent financial advisor, a high-quality Italian restaurant take-away service and a commercial flooring contractor.

All very different challenges, all requiring research to establish just exactly what each does and their graphic profiles. Tony joined the groups and discussed the final goals and answered questions about the brief - as he hadn't told them everything when presenting the original document. It's all part of a designers life to extract as much information from the client - they know everything about the product and assume the designer does too . . . which is never the case.
UpperCase tackling the IFA project visited a number of local providers and considered the 'physical' elements that although moving to the digital arena the company would still have to provide to their customers who traditionally 'like paper'.

Blank Page considering a quality take-away service visited a local Italian restaurant [not the client] to discuss with the management costs, requirements, menus as well as sampling the very good fare at Fat Olive in Upper Diccinson Street - big thank you to the guys there for their assistance.

CDN had a wonderful opportunity via one of the Art Schools' industry 'friends' Will Bentley to visit Milliken Carpets in Gidlow Lane and meet up with the amazing Claire France to be blown away by the  technology that goes into the making of a 'simple' floor tile.
Once the research was complete the first task was to write a proposal - what were they going to deliver in the final presentation. Each group established [eventually] who would be doing what and built a production schedule. The proposal was sent to Tony for his thoughts and a second meeting was set up so he could view the progress and develop ideas the groups had come up with.
The groups will continue to develop and then finalise their designs before presenting their solutions to Tony in a client pitch in the new Business Centre on the Wigan campus.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

MINT!

From the days of having to draw everything - long before computers became the tool of choice in the design industry the editor has watched and been part of the shift from actual hand-skills to the control of a mouse and stylus. Not hankering for the Luddite world of smashing new technology the advancing pace of moving graphics is one, if given his time over again, would be big in to.

With the FD being affiliated to the University of Salford one of the pathways is called rather catchily MINT - which means multi-media and interactivity!

The course leader Gary Peploe [without the cap] and one of WSA's FD successes Matt Page, who gained a 'first' in completing his BA Hons study dropped by the college to show off their wares and discuss the option - and very impressive it was too!

To see what they get up to at MINT . . . follow the links.


























Tuesday 5 November 2013

The Future is Magenta!

Doesn't time fly . . . ?

It's September, it's the Parsons Walk cafĂ© and it's time to enrol. Another decent size year and a mix from the three main fountains the FD course 'drinks' from. 
Four from SJR, four from ED Art & Design, six from ED Graphics and one lost soul who having experienced the pleasures of university realised that contact time at most higher education establishments is miles from the environment on the FD course at WSA.
The first day starts with induction and understanding the rules of the FD course. Then [trying] to make paper planes to fly in the stairwell . . . still confused to collect and then getting to know each other. Once all the rules and regs are sorted the group heads to Liverpool. 

A trip to Tate at Albert Dock to what the editor considers to be a fantastic exhibition – the work of Chagall. Along with the newly formed HND Fine Art all the first years met up for a day out – mind we got soaked coming back! Some enjoyed the exhibition – others didn’t get it. After two hours in the gallery the editor having been asked what he was filming and trying his best to get away with murder . . . it was time to escape!!
So another year begins, many blank faces, many wondering how they're going to get their work done by deadlines, others concerned about Soapbox or organisation presentations and standing in front of their peers and opening their mouths!

How will they do . . . only time will tell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URwU4yRemYk

Sunday 3 November 2013

Imitation - the sincerest form of flattery?

Casting his mind back many-a-year the editor along with a couple of other guys in his design class, created a slide show [didn't have video in those days] that took the 'Mickey' out of the rest of the group, the girls particularly . . . and of course the staff.

The editor did a very good [and still does] imitation of his course leaders voices as well as a nifty caricature of him too . . . so it shouldn't have come as any great surprise that one day his students would turn the table and do the same thing to him.

Aired for the first time at the Final Show . . . and having made it clear that he wouldn't censor any part of it [although he did ask for the removal of a few comments recorded while in London with the group] everyone had a giggle at his expense. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzH0bnnxHGU