Gilchrist Email and portfolio

From: Robyn Russell
To: chall@gilchrist.co.uk, claudinehall94@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 17:45:11 +0000
Subject: Robyn Russell - Portfolio
Dear Claudine Hall,

As requested here is my .PDF portfolio, and a little bit about myself and the course I am on. Firstly, I completed my foundation in Graphic Design at Newcastle College and because of this I was later accepted to study Graphic Design at the Leeds College of Art and Design. After studying a variety of different disciplines in the first year I have found my strengths lie in working with Illustrator and I thoroughly enjoy branding/packaging and general corporate identity. I have tried to involve elements of each within the array of projects I have done both last year and this year. Now that I am in my second year I have started to develop a more professional and specialist approach to the work we are doing. For example, we did a whole module based on design for print. This entailed visiting print agencies such as TEAM and designing our work to be mass produced. I also enjoy working in In-Design, further developing my layout and grid skills. Although I am still perfecting my skills, I feel I am now ready to pursue a small placement with a professional company such as yours. This is vital for me to gain experience and understanding of the working industry and environment. If applicable, I would relish the opportunity to work with your company for 2 weeks, unpaid. Thank you very much for this opportunity and if you require any additional information about myself, please do not hesitate to email me back or ring me on 07711884585. 

Yours Sincerely,

Robyn Russell

(BA Graphic Design)

Open publication - Free publishing - More gilchrist

Gilchrist

Today i spoke to Gilchrist Print and branding design agency in Leeds. This was through a contact, because it's my friends sister who works within the agency. I spoke to Claudine Hall who is head of one of the design departments within the Agency today, and just spoke to her briefly about who i am and what i do. I also spoke to her about what i am interested in doing on the placement and for how long etc. She told me to get a portfolio together of some of the print and packaging designs i have done and put a small informal email together just outlining myself again and what i want to do with the placement i.e how long etc.
She sounded really nice so hopefully something will come of this.

"Gilchrist is the global branding and design implementation specialist, providing our partners with the critical link between design conception and print, servicing international markets across a broad spectrum of industries including Brand Owner, Retail and Pharmaceutical.""

Background

This leading frozen food brand introduced a meal solution for the price conscious consumer, wanting a traditional 'take out' treat at home and wanted to create packaging that incorporated the latest innovation and design influence, whilst connecting with the traditional core brand values.

Solution

Using the latest construction and marketing ideology to fuse together packaging that delivered British tradition was key. Archived images of the local area were used, as well as highly crafted technical print techniques and varnishes, dismissing the usual standard finishes often associated with flexographic print. Printing on clear substrate in 8 colours, with a combination of tactile and matt varnishes, provided a durable parchment finish to the outer flow-wrap and added yet a further dimension to the consumer experience.

Background

This exquisite French biscuit brand wanted to re-launch one of its ranges in order to improve sales, as well as generate cost savings during the process. The range was to be re-launched in a smaller format, using softer colours and more natural product shots, to improve the product's organic look and make it more appealing to the consumer.

Solution

Gilchrist made recommendations to the design agency to produce the artwork with a maximum of 5 colours. Together with Marketing and the design agency, Gilchrist reviewed the initial designs and proposed several design routes to optimise these. Regular reviews with the printer were held to seek feedback on the different proposals and gain approval on the chosen route. Print is now achieved in 5 colours with a new organic look.

CONTACT LIST

I have put together the 10 contacts that i intend to speak to about possibly doing a placement of sorts with them. Below are my list. Some i have not researched as they are people I already know, and contacts f family and friends that i have managed to wrangle. However i will be investigating them further once i have put the list together.

Mark Buttress - info@markbuttress.co.uk - Stamford (local)

23ccc creative - write@23ccc.co.uk - 01780 408202

me&em Design - hello@meandemdesign.co.uk - 01572 768002

Magic Beans - mail@magicbeans-design.co.uk - 08432892609

Dsquard - all@dsq.co.uk - 01780480690

Jo's Dad - charles@cwa-ltd.co.uk

John Eley design - hello@johneleydesign.co.uk - 01733 341556

Un.titled - James Warfiled (CD) 01162471111

Cefar - studio@cefar.co.uk 01132515657

Glorious Creative - 0161 2573575

Creative Spark - 01612358558 - hello@creativespark.co.uk

Branding - Busniess Card ideas

Open publication - Free publishing - More busniess

EVALUATION

Robyn Russell  OUGD202

BA Graphic Design

Evaluation

TOP 10 FICTIONAL PIRATES. 

I have throughly enjoyed this module. There have been so many things that I have learnt and will be taking with me to future projects, and hopefully beyond. Firstly one of the things that has improved dramatically within this project is my organisation and time management skills. From day one my main aim was to keep on-top of my work and blogging. This is because I knew not only did I have this module but other modules running too. I have learnt that by keeping on top of my blog and keeping it focused meant that I knew what I was doing and where I needed to be going. I am very happy with this because I feel I’ve finally realised how to utalise my blog in the most efficient manner. 

As I began with the research, my main aim with it was to have a broad range of specific research relating to all things pirate, as that was my chosen topic. I wanted to be as informed as I could be. My intention was to get as much done before I started designing so that my ideas and inspiration could just spring broad on from there. This is exactly what I achieved, throughout the project I was able to just dip back into my research wherever needs be and I could find the soloution/inspiration I was looking for. By sorting this out early, meant I had a lot more time to spend on understanding the software I was working in and coming up with design ideas.

I have developed a new range of practical and conceptual skills with this module. Apart from my new found and hugely improved time management and organisation skills, I have also become quite confident in the ways of mastering After Effects. I made sure that I was constantly testing, incorporating and developing my skills in the software, either checking through workshops I had done or pushing the skills I had already picked up. By going through this process of reevaluating what I could do and how I could inform myself more, really helped me become more comfortable and confident working with the software. This module, for me, was all about learning and understanding the fundamentals we had been taught and experimenting with them, to find an appropriate solution. This helped me throughout the project, taking this methodical approach, because when problems did arise within my animations it was a lot easier to go back and fix it because I knew what I had done and I understood how to change it without damaging the rest of my animations. 

This project has also helped me push my hand drawn skills and then combining them with my illustrator skills. I haven’t given myself an opportunity to work like this in previous modules/ briefs and it felt good to be able to go back to basics and create something, by me from scratch. It was very satisfying. Another skills that went alongside this was storyboarding. I enjoyed the process of creating the storyboards for my project, the process made me learn to appreciate planning things out before you go to a computer or start designing. This process really helped prevent prevent problems that could have arisen in the future.

Another aspect that I had to utalise throughout this project was the help that was on hand. From either tutors or students. This, I believe, was an important part of the design process. Without being able to ask for help I really don’t think I would have been able to do what I have achieved. The software was complicated, and I don’t think I could have got as far as I did without someone being able to help me out here and there, along the way. 

One thing I have learnt while working in After Effects, is that you need to be completely versatile and flexible, this is because there are some things at the level I am, you need to realise that there were some things that I wouldn’t be able to do. Due to the time period we had, and the lack of skills we had. This then lead me to work out the next best thing I could do creating the most appropriate solution to the problem. 

There is a very specific design process that I feel I had to stick to, to create my animations. That was truly understanding the concept before animating (storyboarding process), getting to grips with the animated components (creating assets) and then working through the animation in a methodical manor. I know this worked well for me, because not once did I lose or misplace a file. Nor did I become stressed about the animation itself. Again being organised and methodical I think was one of my biggest strengths throughout the whole of this project. There is nothing I left to that last minute. I know that throughout this project I have really put the hours in to keep on top of the work and keep it focused. By taking my time and staying in control, has meant my project has run smoothly. 

I think the only weakness within my project was possibly the professionalism of the videos, but that isn’t from the lack of trying on my behalf. I think this is just sue to the lack of expertise in the software. However, I do intent to use this software again in the future and hopefully that will improve the quality of the videos. I am very happy with my outcomes though because I know I have thrown my best work at them. 

There are a lot of things that I intend to take from this project. Firstly I know I have come out of this module with a new and improved working ethic that fully suits me and I know now benefits my work. Secondly, I intend to work more on planning my projects in the future, so that they are thought out and therefore, just as with this project, I can utalise my time more efficiently. Another aspect of this project I intend to take on in the future is working in after Effects itself. This will not be the last time I use the software, I have seen the capabilities of the software and I intend to use it in future projects for promotion etc. 

If I were to re-do this project, I don’t think there is anything I would change. I believe there are more things I can do in the future, because of improving my skills on a week by week basis. 

I only hope in future projects I can get as much enjoyment and satisfaction out of it, as I have done with the project. 

Crit Feedback

Today we had our 2nd crit for this project. This one was really really helpful. It gave me a clearer idea of what i am trying to create and how to go about it. It was good to have two couples critting my work because it meant that the answers or the responses that were the same were the real issues within my work.

From the general responses after last weeks and this week, i have worked out that defining the pirates i want to incorporate into my animation is paramount. And Aaron and everyone really helped me do this. I have decided to focus on fictional pirates this means that all basis are covered. So i can still use Captain Jack Sparrow and Blackbeard etc. the reason i was having such a problem was because there is a fine line between fiction and non fiction with pirate tales because nine times out of 10 the pirates that are spoken about are real but the stories may not be or they are based on a real pirate. Once i raised this issue everyone said the best idea would be to keep it fictional and then work with the well known pirates. Another problem i raised was that i didn't want this title sequence to be a 'big-up' for pirates of the Caribbean, but a lot of well known pirates are actually in those films. However everyone said that if i am going to do Top 10 famous fictional pirates then of course it's going to include pirates of the Caribbean because it has become an icon for pirates. This has put me at ease because now i feel everyone will understand where i am coming from and why i am doing certain things. With regards to the rest of the evaluation all points were fair but there isn't much i can do to some of them until my development is in full swing. 

TASK 3 - How will i promote myself?

TASK 3 - How will i promote myself?

What do they want to hear?

What should i say to them?

How will i communicate with them?

After studying the marketing communication mix thoroughly i have decided the best avenues for me to explore within them are; personal selling, publicity, direct mail and PR/Advertising. Firstly personal selling is a great asset to me as a designer it gives me opportunities to network within the creative industry and how people who i am. This would be done through exhibitions, trade fairs, D and AD talks etc. Secondly by putting myself out there i would be creating my own publicity through branding myself as a product through medias such as business cards. Another important avenue is direct mail, instead of just phoning companies or emailing them by sending them my CV through the mail, for example, means that i am covering ever basis of creating a relationship with an agency and it becomes more personal. As a general overview PR and advertising is fundamental to me becoming a successful designer and creating a name for myself, this is because it involves me making relations with client and companies and expanding myself.

With regards to methods i would use to get myself out there, there are a few that i thin would be more successful for me as a person and a designer. Its important for me to be seen at netwroking events and be as visually engaging as possible. For example using business cards, they need to reflect me and what i do because clients need to see both sides of me to remember me. Also as i have a blog it would be good for me to interact with other blogs whether they be freelance designers of company blogs. This will give me an insight to the designers and how they work and how i can work with them. It will already show me engaging with their system and show i will quite easily slip into their way or working. The blogs will also help my name circulate around the industry through companies and talking which is very important. Its important, at these networking events to try and how as much about me, as a person and a designer so that clients could feel comfortable with me and trust me. 

Another method to help engage my potential client is to have something to show them at these networking events and just about anywhere else really. For me, I can create a small portfolio of my best work on my iPhone. Within this portfolio its essential that i show enough versatility so that i can do whatever the company would want from me. From this i can engage the client by asking them what they think of the work and whether its applicable to what they already do. This stage for me as a designer is essential as it will really start to develop relationships with people. I would have to be clear in telling them not only who i am as a person but who i am as a designer. So that they understand my morals and views on aspects o life as well as showing them my knowledge of the industry. 

I want to be able to show them through my business cards and portfolios (both on my phone and online) that i am invaluable to them. Showing them my range of skills from software to idea generation and concept building. I know i have a lot to offer companies and i feel in situations like these, networking, that i need to advertise myself well and as an attractive bundle. 

I feel that the place that would give me the most competitive edge is social occasions such as events and fairs, by being fully prepared with the methods i have looked at for myself. Being confident in both myself and my work, should help deliver a pitch about me as a product to companies and clients.