Salford Key?

In mid-November all of FD went over to meet the staff of the University. It is a tradition for the second years to receive guidance before they apply to complete they creative study.

The University’s new home [on a very wet Wednesday] at MediaCity is really starting to come to life – and it’s a fascinating place to study with great views over the Quays and the Lowry.

 

From the left : Jo, Tim and Gary explained their different Pathways and took questions from the floor. Once the talk and tour was over the course student reps and the editor sat down for the first semester student & staff committee with Jo.

Andy, [stand-in rep] Ben, Jo, Naomi and Heather cleared the table of agenda items and then spent time looking at examples of Level 6 design work around the walls of the spacious studio.

Top : 24 hours without sleep due to deadlines Andy, Ben, Jo, Naomi and Heather during the SSC meeting. Below : the group look out of the windows at the Quay's [and work] and then chat with Mel departed from FDPurple about the illustration pathway she is to complete in June 2015. 

Before the group departed, Mel one of the courses ex-students in her final year of illustration dropped by to say hello and provide some insider-information.

Being Organised

As part of their first years Personal & Academic Development module in groups of two the FD1 LIME students had to research and present information of five industry-based organisations or publications. The five under scrutiny this year were D&AD /  Pentagram / Tate / Design Museum / Creative Review.

The groups had to research their origins, what roles they play what membership costs and how they can assist in the group becoming better designers and artists.

From the left : Creative Review with Lucy and Jordan, Tate with Hannah and Jack and Design Museum with Naomi and Luke. Later presentations by Andy, James and Zeta ended up on the cutting room floor.

Initial contact with the audience was through a poster [or in the case of Tate four posters], a handout and finally a five-minute presentation, all created in the graphic style of that organisation.

The editor is very keen to take the students out of their comfort zone by presenting to their peers and feeling the pressure of ‘talking’ to an audience. The results were impressive – and no expense was spared . . . by Andy who provided D&AD t-shirts for each of the group . . . and several ink cartridges for his flyer!

Following the Rainbow

These days inkjet and laser printing may appear [for students] the only way to output a final digital job. The first module the second years tackle on their return is Design & Production – the report on contact with industry is above – so not only do they design they have to also produce industry ready artwork and get quotes to publish their ideas from newspapers, magazines, radio, television and litho printers. All know what CMYK is – but not many know the process.

The editor has knows Chorley’s premier print company from his days working in industry and they have over the years invited groups of students to see how a job that arrives at their door is produced and delivered.

NB Colour in Fellery Street, Doug Nelson and Jenny Stead welcomed the editor into their fantastic working environment. Even though he has spent many a happy hour ‘passing-on-press’, checking proofs, negotiating quotes and in the ‘old’ days making sure film was RRED [right reading emulsion side down] a print shop still is as fascinating to the editor today as it was back in the mid-eighties.

But how getting a piece of artwork to the press has changed, no more black and white artwork – everything is digital today. No more film to worry about the emulsion and no more fall off in quality as the image is transferred via film to a litho plate.

Today a digital file [NB Colour prefer PDf’s although accept ALL file types!!!] is sent direct to their  litho plate imager from the company’s computers creating high quality first generation images. All very technical but so simple although the laser imager and the developing process really is cutting edge.

From top to bottom - Kodak plate maker, Heidelberg litho press and stocks of paper

The plates are taken down to the press and the first surprise to the editor NB have sold their Komori presses and have invested in a 5 colour plus coater Heidelberg ‘monster’ – and impressive it is!! The company also has a 6 colour Indigo digital press, ideal for quality,short run print and this machine doesn’t even need plates!

 Both hand and machine finishing is now completed on the premises – so just about the whole print service is available from gaining a quote online to delivering high quality print work.

The final feather in their cap . . . NB Colour is very proud of being a fully Carbon Balanced business. All of their paper comes from sustainable sources and most of the paper they use are Carbon Balanced too, all at no extra cost to their customers.

Where there's a Will . . .

For the past two years FD has been proud to be associated with Tony Lythgoe who has been both the brief setter and client for FD2 as they put their professional heads on. But we are happy to see him go . . . [Ed : what?] . . . as Tony has been so busy with new clients and new projects he was unable be part of this years Design and Production module.

But FD was happy to send out a tentative invitation to one of the courses oldest and most influential supporters in the hope that the company principal would offer assistance.

Will Bentley of BD2 – a mere hop-skip-and-a-jump across Mesnes Park who has been a great help with previous quality inspections, has offered placement to FD students, been to talk with the groups  and of late employed one of our graduates did agree to be our industry eagle-eye.

The editor had arranged FD2 into five groups and asked each to provide three possible re-brand or re-launch options. Through discussion the suggestions were whittled down to one per group - and what a diverse selection. EasyJet / BP / Puma / Boots Shapers / Wetherspoons. Each group created an abridged proposal for Will to get a taste of their targets and the day before Will came to the studio to meet the creative teams, a full proposal, branded, with deliverables.

And as the editor would have guessed, Will didn’t disappoint in providing each of the groups his thoughts and suggestions presented on BD2 branding as well as engaging for 30 minutes each team in a frank discussion about their aims, the likely outcomes and achievable final solutions.

Clockwise from top left : ESM present easyJet, Visceral present BP, Three Peas present Boots Shapers, 2'sCompany present Wetherspoons and Milky Coffee present Puma

Somewhere between now and final presentation in December it is hoped the groups will either have questions for Will to consider or an opportunity to show off their development to date. Watch this space for the final presentations.

Lime is the New Flavour!

Welcome aboard the new FD group – all brave souls, all ready for the ‘fight’ all ready to travel the arduous and yet screaming-banshee trail to the University and beyond. Hang on Tight!!!

The group having just arrived at Lime Street station on their way to the Mondrian exhibition at Tate Liverpool are from left to right . . . James / Jordan / Hannah / Luke / Naomi / Jamie [hang-in-there] / Jack / Andy / Zeta.

We've Topped-Up

The essence of the FD course is for students to spend two years under the editor’s guidance and then secure a single year top-up at the University of Salford. When FDPurple departed Wigan School for the Arts in June 2013 just about all the group headed to the University.

So how would they do on a single year . . . would FD have prepared them well enough for the rigor of academic study, would they achieve good grades or just average? The editor waited with baited breath to see if his methods, his rants, his guidance, his professional spirit had delivered the group to the standard expected by the courses illustrious partner?

Four of the lads achieved a 2:1 with a couple having missed their Firsts by a mark or two [gutting!] but the gold stars were delivered by Natasha and Emily who came back to their old FD studio [Tash laughing, Emily 'hating' everyone] to talk to the groups about life at Uni who both achieved Firsts – and not only that in attending University business seminars they both secured employment at a Manchester based design company when they completed their study. Two of the 2:1 lads [to date] have gained employment in the last few weeks also.

Although a few gained 2:2's [the editor acknowledges here one of those students who has been in touch with his great news has gained design employment already] it has been proved that those who really put the effort in at the University, can achieve as ‘good-a-grade’ at a fully educated University student and saved over £6000 – not bad value for money. Why study anywhere else?

Cyan disappear into the wide blue yonder

It’s funny how two years passes so quickly and another group of slightly mystified students as they sign up to the ‘boot-camp’ that is professional graphic design education spread their wings having absorbed all they could in such a short period of time.

So it was in mid-June that FDCyan brought together their final show, complete with ceiling adornments and a gazebo to wave goodbye to foundation degree and start the next part of their educational journey. For a couple industry was the next step, for the remaining seven the calling of University of Salford like a siren drew the almost fully-fledged designers for one last ‘project’.Their show, full of colour, full of both quality design work and illustration was as usual a hit and as busy as ever. Perhaps it was the Premier of the Happy in Paris video, perhaps it was the editor dressed up in an Easter bunny outfit in the girls Remotely Funny video or maybe just the fact that after two long years worth of study which have flown past they had delivered excellent results.

Keeping FD in Check!

The serious stuff of education depends on integrity and judgement. Assessment is the very lifeblood of a students development. To be guided through the course and to build upon experiences – both good and sometimes bad is how the raw recruit learns the business. The professional environment the editor arrived from 11 years ago is the yard [or should that me metric] stick that the answers to set briefs help provide the rungs to climb the career ladder.

BUT – to maintain standards, to be 100% certain that each student has achieved their correct level the FD comes under the scrutiny twice a year from an External Verifier which since the courses metamorphosed from a Higher National has been the excellent [even allowing for him being a City fan] Ian Beckett from Stockport College.

Although his expression never changed I’m sure his heart must have dropped from time to time when all the work for inspection covers the tables in the studio. His support at all the University Exam and Joint Boards of Study meetings was legendary – a better ally no one could ever wish for.

But everything has to come to an end and after five years as a beacon of fairness and a light to guide the course through ever-increasing educational demands Ian’s tenure has come to an end. Students and the editor are going to miss his human touch.

Happy in Paris

It’s the editors favourite time again – springtime [printemps] in Paris. Although there had been issues in reserving the groups visit to the Louvre due to the lack of old technology – a fax machine – as the group departed from Piccadilly on Monday morning for the first overnight stop in London everything was in place.

The graphics group headed for The Science Museum while the fine art group made their way down to Tate Modern.

The following morning was bright and sunny as the walk to St Pancras and EuroStar set off – the first step to the French capital – for four days of fantastic cultural opportunities.

And talking of culture, FD2Cyan and the editor had decided they’d mimic Pharrell Williams Happy video and create their own singing and dancing[!?] record of their adventure.

Much to the amazement to the rest of the carriage the first recorded section of the video was filmed as the EuroStar hurtled through Nord-pas–de-Calais it may have required five takes – but the group got the ‘footage’ and were roundly applauded by the French and Belgium travelers!

The Hotel Picardy was across the rue from the Gare du Nord, the proprietor and receptionist made registering very easy. Just as well as getting the carnet to travel on the Metro was a little more complicated but “pour moi aussi” once the editor had bough his tickets did the job for the rest of the group.

Next stop Notre Dame, a wander down the Rue de Rivoli, past the Louvre and then up the Champs Elysées for a left turn for a 7.30pm ascension of the Eiffel Tower and more Happy video. Several of the group went all the way to the top – the editor seems to get ‘afflicted’ with deputy editors who have a dislike for heights – but the café at level two was more than welcome on a breezy evening.

The following day started at the Louvre – which was busier then on any previous occasion – always amazes everyone – it’s so big you never get around everything – but the Mona Lisa is a must. Next port of call the top of the Arc du Triomphe and a sunset over Paris – stunning.

Thursday morning it’s Notre Dame, crêpes on Rue d’Arcole [two Nutella for 5€ result] up to the Pompidou Centre for Parisian modern art before heading via the metro to Sacre Coeur that provides an amazing vista of Paris. The whole group sat down to 'dinner' in the Clairon des Chasseurs and once Stephane had taken everyone's orders he agreed to dance to Happy with the editor through the restaurant and out into le Place du Tertre.

Final stop on our visit and a Marilyn Munroe moment for the Cyan girls as part of their video was the Moulin Rouge.

Lots of tired feet, lots of broken French spoken but many amazing memories once again – and a video soon to be published to marvel at some ‘Dad Dancing’! Vive la France.