Buried Treasure

While wandering through a few blog links the editor came across this image of some of FDPurple in the Mortar Boards accepting their BA [Hons] in Graphic Design from the University of Salford back in June 2014.

From the left : Danny Humphreys, Chris Wordley, Adam Ascroft, Josh Hurst, Dec Woodward and Tom Saunders . . . all very smart too!

Cann Do!

Back in November 2011 Brian Cannon graced the pages of the FD blogsite after opening a photographic studio in the middle of Wigan. Although he has created many fantastic designs he will always be best know for his work with the groups Verve and Oasis.

Through Jordan in FD1, who has regular contact with Brian in the local Northern Soul music scene, the Foundation Degree course was graced with his presence one Thursday morning before Christmas.

The editor, being a few years older than our guest, recognised Brian’s traditional way of working and his graphic terminology and smiled at his design analogies.

For an hour he held students from both FD courses, level three graphics and art & design under his spell as he recounted the events that led him to meet both Richard Ashcroft and Noel Gallagher and then the sky-rocket ascension to design immortality!

It would be remiss of the editor to pass on those stories – other than to say "a pint of milk and adidas trainers".

Brian has recently moved into the old Wigan courts and refurbished an office and in moving all his ‘stuff’ he came upon all kinds of original design work, which on Friday 12 December he auctioned online.

To have a look at his move/office/auction follow the link . . .

http://vimeo.com/113736813    

Creative Pitch

The first module in year 2 is Design and Production. Within groups, the teams select a company to re-brand or re-launch and that is the easy bit – what is difficult is that they have to put together a proposal and sell the idea to an industry professional who to all intent and purposes is the client. This year Will Bentley, principal of BD2 accepted the challenge [see “Where there’s a Will”].

Once those first meetings had taken place and direction given the groups had to go to work in designing, costing and considering how best to create the new look or new message.

The culmination of two months hard effort, the odd ‘fall-out’, the odd creative spat, the teams were ready to present their ideas once again to Will. In taking them all out of their comfort zone the editor booked a room in the professional studies building, top floor . . . ready to act like real professionals.

Each group had the opportunity to customize their presentation in hanging posters, providing an aircraft seat, providing food and drink as part of their presentations. First up were Visceral and their repositioning of BP after the Gulf disaster explaining the Big Possibilities [BP] that the company had in an attempt to re-establish all the good things the company has undertaken over the years.

Visceral present BP to Will : Dean, Chris R and Chris P

 Second group, ESM Creative took on the challenge to smarten up and add a bit of class the eastJet with great ads, new livery and iPads for hire as the main thrust of their presentation. A sparkling new logo also caught the eye.

ESM deliver their new easyJet branding. On the right Mel, Simone and Emma

The next group, Milky Coffee took on an urban challenge by identifying a gap in the market for one of the worlds biggest and best know sports goods companies [but not fashion wear] Puma. Linked with clothing ‘styled’ by Pharrell Williams the group created a ten second viral ‘sting’, flagship stores, publicity and break-in opportunities in cities and towns the night before a Pharrell gig. The group also screen printed t-shirts, hoodies, sweats and presented one of their creations to Will.

Milky Coffee urbanize Puma and provide Will with his own bespoke Sweatshirt. On the left Dec, Danny and Billy

The penultimate group was one, which Will was really looking forward to. 2’s Company had decided that the tired and unconnected corporate look of Wetherspoon’s taverns and hotels was in their sights. A nice corporate wood-cut look and a simplification of their overly complicated menus. Their gift was three relabelled bottle of beer.

With free beer as a gift [or bribe] to Will, megan and Ben deliver the new look for Wetherspoons

The final group stole the show, Rachel, Heather and Hayley, the 3 Peas took on Boots lunchtime menu and their Shapers range of sandwiches, drinks and bars. Although not the worst design ever, the group who spent time in the local store to watch the shoppers snack selections completely re-branded and renamed the range and blew Will away. 

Hello delightful! Rachel, Heather and Hayley blow Will away scoring 9.9/10 - he never gives a 10!

Hello delightful is fresh, colourful, engaging and the publicity that surrounded it linked the whole new look into a new store position and new proposition to entice the hungry shopper to go for a healthy under 500 calorie alternative with the Boots assurance of quality. The girls had taken the time to discover the type of sandwich Will likes and presented his choice in their new packaging.

Even a visit from the new head of Higher Education didn’t put the group off.

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.