1. Currently I am starting to establish myself as a diverse designer. Previously I have focused solely as a hand crafted design, however as the second year is evolving I am creating diversity in my work and am enjoying further investigation into layout and packaging design and more recently colour theory.
2. Working as a freelancer designer appeals to me as I enjoy independence within my work. A regional grant for young businesses would give me the boot I need in relation to publicising myself as a freelancer.
3. After I graduate I aim to work for a design studio and work on live briefs within a design agency such as 'LOVE' in Manchester who are a multidisciplinary creative advertising company whom I have been in contact with regarding work experience. I need to ensure that I have a good reputation as a designer. I want to ensure a high level of customer care in order to become the sort of designer that I want to evolve into.
4. For part of out second module, 'design for web' I will gain the knowledge to set up our own website which will be a very useful way of promoting my self. Development of a website does not require huge resources. All that is needed is good copywriting, and coding skills that will evolve within the module.
5. I would like to have work available to buy in small independent shops or bars such as 'The art of Tea' in Manchester, where the clientele suits me as a designer as a lot of the work that they display are illustration based and involve a lot of hand crafted design.
6. Due to the huge amount of competition that exists within the field, as a designer I need to diversify myself in order to stand out from the competition. This could mean that I get both skills as typographer and a high level of both software skills and hand rendered design, so clients see me as a rounded individual.
7. Direct selling to consumers will be an important way to establish myself within the field of design and build up a good reputation. I think that the benefits of direct selling in relation to me as a young designer is the opportunity to build up a good relationship with clients as is it is important to establish good relationships with customers.
9. An ultimate goal would be to work in a city in Europe such as Berlin. Eobiont are a advertising agency based in Berlin who describe there strength as " Finding creative alternatives to communication doldrums". There ethos appeals to me and an ambition would be to work for a dynamic European design company. Learning a second language is something that I am looking into doing in the new year and will bring me closer to realising my self actualisation goal of being bilingual.
10. I understand the importance of sustainable design and it is an issue that I want to address through my progression as a designer. Design companies such as carbon creative in Salford Manchester share a similar ethos to myself and are a carbon neutral design company.
Friday, 11 December 2009
Task 4
Who else is out there – how good are they?
I have completed a SWOT analysis on two different design companies. BLANKA who are a website that contain a collection of original designers work in many design disciplines, and CMK who are a London based design company.
As a result of this analysis a few opportunities for my own practice have been posed. Firstly a website would be very useful in my field. I already have a blog set up , however I feel that there are limitations within the ease of navigating through blogs. After evaluating BLANKA's website and deciding that the text was too small and perhaps a larger lower case font would be more successful makes me aware of how important a fully comprehensive website will be.
BLANKA is an online shop. Other independent designers such as Adam Tickle who is a London based designer who has set up an online shop on his website Cultural Domain. An online shop would be a huge opportunity to gain status as an independent new designer. It is also a effective way of generating revenue and getting my work out there. After evaluating these two design companies websites, it has made me realise that most designers websites contain a synopses as to what the company is about. As it stands on my blog I give no email address or further contact details available for prospective 'clients'. When I evaluated CHK's website the lack of contact details was a potential issue for consumers so I need to provide more in my practice. Neither of the websites that I researched and evaluated contained a downloadable portfolio. This is something that I would like to contain in my future webpage to enable clients to download a printer friendly version of my work.
On both sites there is no mention of enviromental or sustainable issues within the deisgn work that is contained within the webpage. Enviromental issues are important to me as a designer and moral implications of the work that I produce is an important factor that I want to consider in my future work generation.
I have completed a SWOT analysis on two different design companies. BLANKA who are a website that contain a collection of original designers work in many design disciplines, and CMK who are a London based design company.
As a result of this analysis a few opportunities for my own practice have been posed. Firstly a website would be very useful in my field. I already have a blog set up , however I feel that there are limitations within the ease of navigating through blogs. After evaluating BLANKA's website and deciding that the text was too small and perhaps a larger lower case font would be more successful makes me aware of how important a fully comprehensive website will be.
BLANKA is an online shop. Other independent designers such as Adam Tickle who is a London based designer who has set up an online shop on his website Cultural Domain. An online shop would be a huge opportunity to gain status as an independent new designer. It is also a effective way of generating revenue and getting my work out there. After evaluating these two design companies websites, it has made me realise that most designers websites contain a synopses as to what the company is about. As it stands on my blog I give no email address or further contact details available for prospective 'clients'. When I evaluated CHK's website the lack of contact details was a potential issue for consumers so I need to provide more in my practice. Neither of the websites that I researched and evaluated contained a downloadable portfolio. This is something that I would like to contain in my future webpage to enable clients to download a printer friendly version of my work.
On both sites there is no mention of enviromental or sustainable issues within the deisgn work that is contained within the webpage. Enviromental issues are important to me as a designer and moral implications of the work that I produce is an important factor that I want to consider in my future work generation.
SWOT analysis for two design companies
The first company that I want to evaluate via a SWOT analysis is Blanka
'Blanka is both an online gallery and permanent visual archive devoted to celebrating the very best in creative communication and print on an international stage. We are an open and enthusiastic co-operative of people from all creative disciplines expressing themselves through exceptional, innovative and inspiring printed items. Blanka has been created to act as a permanent archive and virtual gallery space to display art and design, photography and print. We are constantly growing and evolving to showcase the talents of our contributors to deliver the best recent work, unearth some classics from our past and also bring you new, inspirational pieces hot off the press.'
The overall strengths of the website is the ease of facilitating your way around the site. Tabs are clearly labeled to allow the user to navigate around the site. There is a small summerative sentence that allows the user to gain a quick contextual understanding of who the company is and what they are about. The website enables designers to sell their work alongside other successful designers in the same field.
The homepage reflects their competence as a design company using a limited colour palette of cyan grey and white. The lack of design 'fuss' within the sight allows the designers work to speak for itself, which shows a sort of confidence with the designers contained within the sight.
Interactive thumbnails allows the user to click on images of interest that then easily navigated them to a more detailed description of the work and the price and the opportunity to purchase the item.
However the fact that the text is all in capital letters makes the bulks of text less readable. The tone of the grey chosen within the text in the site is a little pale. Perhaps they text could be larger and the vast amount of cyan 'space' could be reduced. The site does contain web pages of the designers that are featured in the site, however the designers web pages are not links which hinders the ease to navigate to a certain designers page.
The sight would benefit with more details as to how they set up the company and maybe even a list of the creatives who put it together, ultimately this would gain them more exposure. Another opportunity for the site could be to provide more contacts details as only a email is provided which is minimal and does not provide consumers to have personal contact. A phone number or address may have been useful. Some of the photography of the design work is very hard to see, the sight would benefit from larger images sizes especially if the work is available to buy as small photograph sizes doesn't give the consumer a very clear view of what they are buying which could result in lower sales.
Other sites that sell design works such as Amazon could pose a threat to an in dependant website like Blanka, however Amazon does not sell such niche design and designers work like Blanka. Sites such as .... and ...... pose serious competition as they to sell diverse amounts of designers works all integrated on one website.
The second company that I will do a SWOT analysis is CHK design who are a design company based in London.
CHK's website contains very simple and direct language, their company approach is clear and concise and written clearly as context+concept+collaboration=communication. This statement clearly informs the audience that the company has no frills and don't need gimmicks to sell their design, effectively the design speaks for itself.
One can easily navigate through the well layed out website and the simple and consistent use of san serif type facilitates navigation. The company 'projects' are clearly labeled under the genre that they fit under. The sight feels "smooth" and very well thought out.
The simple interactivity is well complemented by the white background which allows the work to really take centre stage, which it should do as it is excellent.
However the website provides no further details of the projects that the company have completed. We are given no indication as to where the project was completed, who was involved, where and how it was successfully executed. This lack of information lets the website down.
The site also does not contain any interior photographs of the books that have been published, this is a little disappointing and is not allowing the website to exploit how good the work is.
A good opportunity for the company would be to provide an online shop where consumers could navigate to to products that the company have produced. Another expansion could be contact details of some of the companies that CHK have worked for.
'Blanka is both an online gallery and permanent visual archive devoted to celebrating the very best in creative communication and print on an international stage. We are an open and enthusiastic co-operative of people from all creative disciplines expressing themselves through exceptional, innovative and inspiring printed items. Blanka has been created to act as a permanent archive and virtual gallery space to display art and design, photography and print. We are constantly growing and evolving to showcase the talents of our contributors to deliver the best recent work, unearth some classics from our past and also bring you new, inspirational pieces hot off the press.'
The overall strengths of the website is the ease of facilitating your way around the site. Tabs are clearly labeled to allow the user to navigate around the site. There is a small summerative sentence that allows the user to gain a quick contextual understanding of who the company is and what they are about. The website enables designers to sell their work alongside other successful designers in the same field.
The homepage reflects their competence as a design company using a limited colour palette of cyan grey and white. The lack of design 'fuss' within the sight allows the designers work to speak for itself, which shows a sort of confidence with the designers contained within the sight.
Interactive thumbnails allows the user to click on images of interest that then easily navigated them to a more detailed description of the work and the price and the opportunity to purchase the item.
However the fact that the text is all in capital letters makes the bulks of text less readable. The tone of the grey chosen within the text in the site is a little pale. Perhaps they text could be larger and the vast amount of cyan 'space' could be reduced. The site does contain web pages of the designers that are featured in the site, however the designers web pages are not links which hinders the ease to navigate to a certain designers page.
The sight would benefit with more details as to how they set up the company and maybe even a list of the creatives who put it together, ultimately this would gain them more exposure. Another opportunity for the site could be to provide more contacts details as only a email is provided which is minimal and does not provide consumers to have personal contact. A phone number or address may have been useful. Some of the photography of the design work is very hard to see, the sight would benefit from larger images sizes especially if the work is available to buy as small photograph sizes doesn't give the consumer a very clear view of what they are buying which could result in lower sales.
Other sites that sell design works such as Amazon could pose a threat to an in dependant website like Blanka, however Amazon does not sell such niche design and designers work like Blanka. Sites such as .... and ...... pose serious competition as they to sell diverse amounts of designers works all integrated on one website.
The second company that I will do a SWOT analysis is CHK design who are a design company based in London.
CHK's website contains very simple and direct language, their company approach is clear and concise and written clearly as context+concept+collaboration=communication. This statement clearly informs the audience that the company has no frills and don't need gimmicks to sell their design, effectively the design speaks for itself.
One can easily navigate through the well layed out website and the simple and consistent use of san serif type facilitates navigation. The company 'projects' are clearly labeled under the genre that they fit under. The sight feels "smooth" and very well thought out.
The simple interactivity is well complemented by the white background which allows the work to really take centre stage, which it should do as it is excellent.
However the website provides no further details of the projects that the company have completed. We are given no indication as to where the project was completed, who was involved, where and how it was successfully executed. This lack of information lets the website down.
The site also does not contain any interior photographs of the books that have been published, this is a little disappointing and is not allowing the website to exploit how good the work is.
A good opportunity for the company would be to provide an online shop where consumers could navigate to to products that the company have produced. Another expansion could be contact details of some of the companies that CHK have worked for.
Friday, 4 December 2009
Task 3
How will I promote myself – what do they want to hear?
When promoting oneself there are many areas one has to look into as a young designer. When looking at self promotion looking at the Marketing Communication Mix helps to realise the most effective way of effectively communicating with target audiences. This method of direct selling is both cheap and an excellent way to be actively involved with direct face to face selling with customers. It is also a good way of generating a involved relationship with customers. Personal selling will be an effective and direct was of connecting to my target market. Next week some Christmas postcards that I have designed along with my peers will be sold on a stall at the Brudenel Social Club in Hyde Park. I would like to have work available to buy in small independent shops or bars such as north bar where the clientele suits the modern graphic design feel of my work. I think that the benefits of direct selling in relation to me as a young designer is the opportunity to build up a good relationship with clients as is it is important to establish good relationships with customers. A negative of this method would be the fact that it would be time consuming initially. As advertising can be an extermely varied part of self promotion and can range in cost. For part of out second module, 'design for web' we wil gain the knowledge to set up our own website which will be a very useful way of promoting one self. Development of a website does not require huge resources. All that is needed is good copywriting, and coding skills thats hopefully will evolve within the module.
When promoting oneself there are many areas one has to look into as a young designer. When looking at self promotion looking at the Marketing Communication Mix helps to realise the most effective way of effectively communicating with target audiences. This method of direct selling is both cheap and an excellent way to be actively involved with direct face to face selling with customers. It is also a good way of generating a involved relationship with customers. Personal selling will be an effective and direct was of connecting to my target market. Next week some Christmas postcards that I have designed along with my peers will be sold on a stall at the Brudenel Social Club in Hyde Park. I would like to have work available to buy in small independent shops or bars such as north bar where the clientele suits the modern graphic design feel of my work. I think that the benefits of direct selling in relation to me as a young designer is the opportunity to build up a good relationship with clients as is it is important to establish good relationships with customers. A negative of this method would be the fact that it would be time consuming initially. As advertising can be an extermely varied part of self promotion and can range in cost. For part of out second module, 'design for web' we wil gain the knowledge to set up our own website which will be a very useful way of promoting one self. Development of a website does not require huge resources. All that is needed is good copywriting, and coding skills thats hopefully will evolve within the module.
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