Business cards & printers

Working on my business card designs....

Researching printers...

Feedback tutorial

I had my feedback tutorial from Fred today. I was

Feedback from portfolio surgery

I had Mark Howe today for my portfolio surgery and I found it so so helpful. Talking to Mark about the reasons that he got into graphic design in the first place, along with his original passion for illustration was easy to relate to. I did the same thing as him, and embarked on a graphic design career as a way of ultimately finding employment, with an ambition to continue with illustration in the mean time. He worked as a graphic designer for 5 years before becoming a freelance designer, and then illustrator within a few months of that. He said his experience in working with illustrators allowed him to get a well informed insight into what designers want out of an illustrator and enabled him to give his illustration work the commercial angle it needs in order to be desired by graphic designers. With regards to being represented by an agency, Mark commented on how he is not represented as he has not found a relationship with one that he has wanted, however he said that it is very important to get some kind of representation if you want to get bigger illustration jobs. This has made me optimistic about my work experience with Jelly in February as this will give me an insight into how an illustration agency works and the kind of work that they are looking for. 

In terms of my graphic design work, he said that all I need is to make sure that I have pieces like my Waitrose brief that show my ability to apply illustration to design as this will showcase my skills as a designer and also show that I can illustrate. 

Mail out ideas

This work by Lotta Nieminen is for an Exhibition identity for the Annantalo Culture Center in Helsinki.

The title of the exhibition (Let Me Be) showcased art about and by disabled people.

Although this work is is for an exhibition identity, it reflects the kind of identity I want to got for with my own personal branding. My work is very vibrant generally and I have always used my logo in full colour. However, I think it would be more versatile if it were consistently black or white when reversed out of another colour. I think that the colour and process could be altered depending on the context, but as a starting point, I want my identity to be monochromatic.

At the moment I am considering ideas for my mail out. I like the idea of it being black - envelope & contents at first glance, and then perhaps folding out to reveal a multitude of colours and processes.

My first proper invoice

This is the invoice for the work that I have been doing for 'Kit Cat's'. I have been paid for work before however I have never sent an invoice so this is my first attempt via e-mail to Katya :

new email signature

Live brief

I managed to get a live brief off the back of another live brief that I had over the summer working on a red bull event. 

Below is the e-mail with the details of the brief :

Hi Polly,

I understand Sophie has had a chat with you about 'Kit Cat's ' and my need for an illustrator like your self. I've seen your drawings and was impressed with your style and diversity. 

In particular i'm presently looking for someone to come up with two things : 1) A few logo options for me to choose from for 'Kit Cat's' and 'Kit Cat's Dinner Dance'. 2) One initial drawing for the website (which will also be used for initial  promotional material), for this event which reflects the mood and style of the occasion - my points of inspiration are below.

Kit Cat's is to be a series of evening and day events based in Suffolk but targeting the Suffolk and London 30-50 year old markets. The theme for Kit Cat's is inspired by the 1940's & 50's grace and elegance, combined with a wild careless party vibe! Web linkes to look at would be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oh0oLmiPxw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71fiDHSMYdw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtfxSAnOgoU&feature=fvwp&NR=1

The events will vary through the year from evening Dinner Dance's (nights which today are replaced by Nightclubs and Charity Balls) to afternoon/evening outdoor movie picnics and screenings of old classic movies, to summer Garden Parties in style of White Tie and Tiara party's. The mood throughout should be that of decadent, glamorous, frivolous, and a little debauchery ! 

I understand you are studying at present so know you can't take on too much, but hoped you might be interested in logo options and a image that could be used for the website. If this goes well I will certainly want further images through the year, to reflect each of the events as I promote them, but this will happen in stages - not one huge bulk of work. And would be happy for you to use the images in your portfolio of work etc.

I also believe Sophie mentioned the live drawing idea. In the past I have used someone called Blue Logan  http://www.bluelogan.co.uk/ but wondered if you might be interested in this. What has happened before is the artist does rough sketches through the night, and perhaps puts a few up, or takes them to a corner where they work on them and takes them away to work on a little more. I would then love to use some of these images on the website, along with the photographers images, and give people the chance to buy them from you if they like any. The event it's self is not till 24th March, so perhaps you'd like to try this out over next few weeks and see if its something you think you could do?

Regarding Fees: £35.00 for the two variations on the logo, if i use them, and for the drawings an additional £30.00 for at least 2 drawings  or 1 detailed image (see below)

Brief:

1) Logo for 'Kit Cat's & logo for 'Kit Cat's Dinner Dance' 

Colour theme. White, ink blue, gold

Mood : Stylish, Elegant, perhaps a little humour (was originally thinking of a Cat or a top Hat hanging of one of the letters)

I would need this in a JPG format for print use as well as to up load on the website.

2) Image for Kit Cat's website and promotional material of first event. Image to reflect the fun, elegant, glamours style of the party.

Image ideas: Perhaps a couple dancing, or someone standing on a chair playing a violin or double base, or someone hanging from a chandelier, or a table of guests having fun whilst looking stylish and elegant..

Image needs to fill right side of page and ideally bottom of page (screen grab of webpage example attached ). So perhaps you could start with one or two images, and we could then build the images up with time.

Colour theme. White, ink blue, gold,

Mood : Stylish, Elegant, perhaps a little humour

I would need this in a JPG format for print use as well as to up load on the website.

Attached are also a few of your pictures I loved.

What do you think? For the initial work I have a very tight turn around, really i need them by end of this week - Thursday 12th - So i can send something out next weekend. But after that we have more time for additional pieces! I'm on the mobile tomorrow if you'd like to discuss it more over the phone. number is 07766 655793

Thanks

Katya

Katya Farrin Brocks

Marketing Consultant

Katya & Co.

Up-To-The-Minute Marketing Solutions

T :  +44 (0)7766 655793

E :   katya@katya.co

W : www.Katya.Co

S :  katyafarrinbrocks

updating business card design

At the moment I am experimenting with ways of updating my business card. I have some old versions but I want something new to have for the portfolio surgeries next week and I'm not happy with my previous design anymore. I like the custom type that I created for my name but I want to think of ways in which I can expand the design.

I like the idea of getting a stamp made with my contact information on so that I can keep updating and changing my design, and print on different stocks as the stamp can then easily be applied to the reverse.