I am proud to announce that I now have a shop where you can go buy things. At the moment it is only populated by some handmade notebooks but in the next few weeks I hope to fill it up with posters and what I am most looking forward to – my re-designed Lomo New York magazine onto newsprint (with the rest of the series to come in due course).
Click the link on the left in the nav or you can go here — shop.maaku87.co.uk
For last 6 weeks I have been up to my neck in placements (hence the lack of updates). One in Liverpool at Smiling Wolf and one in Manchester at Raw Design Studio.
One of the giant prints lining the walls at Smiling Wolf.
The first – Smiling Wolf, I have to say has a great name for a design studio. Very original. Located in Elevator Studios (Poor designed site – but the new one designed by Smiling Wolf looks to be great.) in Liverpool, the area is a up and coming design/art/trendy sort of place with “A Foundation” located nearby. (See my post about it here) Whilst I was there I had a chance to work on a major project to do with a new music search application – that one day could possibly be huge. So that’s something good to know I was a part of. I also had the pleasure of working on a branding for a future sculpture/exhibition and initial designs for some very large wall artwork.
The second placement was at Raw Design Studio in sunny Salford, Manchester. Located in “Islington Mill“, more specifically the “Engine House” their current studio used to be home to “The Ting Tings” who lived and worked out of their converted house at the Mill. Now home to an active design agency I spent four weeks working with them.
The Mill itself.
Looking down from the upper balcony.
Artwork painted onto the walls of the Mill.
At Raw I spent my time working on a number of projects. Not often do I get a chance to work on something I love, and I got the opportunity to do just that. I was tasked with designing and starting a Newspaper or Directory for the residents of the Mill, this might sound boring but this is where design comes in. Working with newsprint and only being able to work in black and white is a challenge but fun. I was able to create simple designs with limited text and limited amounts of space to create a 12 page directory featuring artists and collaborations with the people who work in the Mill. However it might have sounded simple but the next step is to get the information from the Mill’s residents – I however left that up to Raw to finish – I wish them luck and hope to see the results soon.
Raw have their own studio run blog called “Raw Type” – which initially started out as self promotion developed into a whole typeface as well as a very nice glow-in-the-dark poster. I was asked to help out with the blog as well writing a couple blog posts about my typographic experiences, you can read one about my Coney Island trip here.
View from my desk.
They love Jon Burgerman at Raw.
Double exposure taken with my Lomo LC-A from the balcony.
In all my experiences at these different studios is always very different each time, and these were no exception. I equally enjoyed my time at both places, and hope to return and visit them one day to see how things have changed.
Tags: design studio, News, raw, smiling wolf, work
My latest placement recently completed was with a small company in Manchester called ‘Reform Creative‘ or ‘Reform’ for short or perhaps ‘Reef’ though I doubt that will catch on.
I started at the beginning of December after being told about them by a friend I then emailed them on a whim to ask about placements, and within a couple days I was booked in for the rest of the year. Sweet. Based on Dale street in Manchester I knew the area well, home to nearly all the ‘trendy’ and ‘hip’ shops, including the best designer/art bookshop in the world – Magma. Seriously, if you are into design, fashion/textiles, photography, you need to go to this shop and make sure you bring plenty of money because you won’t want to leave empty handed. The area is also home to ‘Fred Aldous’ possibly the biggest and best art shop in the North West, or so ive heard. There are also many trendy bars and cultural cafes in the area home to art galleries and regular events.
Before I heard about Reform I would have probably passed them off without a second thought if someone hadn’t told me about them. However im glad someone did and even more grateful that they allowed me to work there past the new year till the end of January. Now a two week placement may seem like its the perfect length for a placement but thats far too short. To really get to know what you are doing and become a real part of the team, and be able to get on with the work, to know exactly what needs to be done, that needs a longer time period. That’s why I am grateful for the two month placement is that you get to know them and how they work and settle down into work rather than being nervous or trying to fit in, in the first couple weeks. Which I have previously experienced at other agencies. You get into a rhythm, become confident, and the ability to work to deadlines and being able to work efficiently appears.
Im my first few weeks, as I have experienced on other placements, the first briefs are usually quite easy however are still hard, as you try to prove your might and show them how good you are, living up to your name. That can be difficult. But I managed well and finished the briefs given to me and received great feedback for them, I was held in high regard. I had made a good impression, thats more than I could ask for.
The type of work I worked on was not limited to print based mediums, I worked on a website for a new client and eFlyers. Even though this might not be my forté after coming out of University I have soon realised the world is not heavily print based, agencies can’t stick one one medium to pay the bills, they need to spread into other areas and become multi-diciplined. Agencies still have to do that work they might not always like, but its the bread and butter of the design world. Some agencies really do have it lucky with great clients who give them the free reign to do whatever they want but I hear they are rare. The work I did at reform was great, I couldn’t have asked for anything better to work on. In one week we managed to win three different pitches, each having and idea that I created in it. One with my idea going into mass production, and another with one of my concepts. That’s great to know that my designs are slowly being bled into the public. (I will hopefully have a sample of these soon, and shall post them here.)
What I have learn’t at Reform might not be apparent from the surface like skills in Photoshop or how to do something. Those skills are picked up along the way. Its skills like teamwork, being relied upon and trusted. Skills as simple as knowing how to work in the ‘real world’, the experience in itself, just getting used to it. This is what us new graduates really need. It should be mandatory at University to get a work placement, or have time out to work somewhere. It’s worth it.
Thanks Reform.
Tags: design agency, lomo, manchester, News, reform
Since my last post here on my blog a lot and nothing has happened.
Probably the most important event was that I finished University graduating with a first class honours degree (in Graphic Design). You might get some people saying it doenst matter at all what you achieve its the quality of work and I totally agree. Some people can get firsts and not get the best jobs, where as a student who perhaps gets a second or a 2:2 – even a third might be endeared because of their interest to strive to become better to aim for those top jobs. This is one of many reasons why today design students are finding it hard to find a job. I am no exception.
Back in late June/July I among a few of my peers went along to ‘D&AD New Blood’ in London among with the cream of the crop of new graduate talent showcases the best in new design from around the country.
Now all of us had our own views about what New Blood was like from prior students, how the tutors described it and from its reputation. Believe me but I wont bore you with the details as by now you will have read all about it and its come and gone. Let me just say, it was a letdown in some ways and a success in others.
Most students during their summer would be going insane trying to find a job and placements, however, probably a bad decision thinking back. I took time out to have a break and enjoy my possibly last summer free from University work or commitments to anything. I on the other hand did have placements lined up (one of which im currently on – and will followup on a future post) and completed some along with the odd freelance job to go with it.
One of the things I did was to attend a festival. Now this wasn’t Glastonbury or Leeds festival or even of any of the ones people have heard of where I’m from. This one was North of Scotland near Inverness at the Belladrum Festival.
Even the bands I hadn’t heard of most of them, there were only a handful that I had, and it was worth it! Massages, spiritual and rune readings, sleeping in tents, not washing, not having enough sleep, breaking into after-parties — its all a part of the experience, and since I had never been to a festival before this one. I hope the rest are just as good.
The rest of my summer was spent traveling between visiting friends, going out and enjoying the rest of my summer whilst it lasted. As well as taking photos — some of which you can find on my flickr page. Thats the short version of my summer, consider yourself updated.
