Designer’s Playtime, Artist’s Fulltime

If you are reading this and you are a designer, multimedia producer or quite frankly anyone who has to make ends meet, it is quite possible that you won’t have to look too hard in your local town or city to find examples of publicly funded arts projects that make you question whether the artist or group of artists have any knowledge or skill in the areas they are effectively ‘dabbling’ in and whether there is any insight, message, concept or idea beyond your own understanding to be gained. There are simply too many arts projects that end up as amateurish explorations of technology or inadequately developed ideas.

The current individual artist funding structure does make allowance for artists to dabble with technology and present this as a concept or series of ideas with a level of justification widely open to interpretation whereas other sectors must prove themselves to a much greater level both technically and financially. My opinion is that this method of funding individual artists is not only unfair to the tax payer but should not be allowed to continue, especially, to coin an annoying phrase, ‘in a time of austerity’ where public funding is tight.

You could argue that there are very limited examples in the following paragraphs compared to the wealth of arts activities across the country, but do remember that this is more about individual artists than organisations. Regarding the significant proportion of poor arts projects examples around it would be fairly easy to find someone in the area of interest such as design, fashion or multimedia who has done something similar – but technically and artistically stronger without direct funding for that specific activity.

Importance of Individual Expression

Let’s be clear here – individual expression is very important and is what makes us human. Everyone has the right to expression and should actively be encouraged to be expressive. I just want to see the artist’s agenda to be part of a project but kept in check. When I say ‘kept in check’ I am refering to ensuring more strictly that creative content is balanced with appropriate planning, management and delivery of an idea. Value for the funder, and for society, must be further ensured by careful control of the scope and quality of the creative exploration than it currently is.

Community and Competition

As a designer I must develop and play with new design tools and technology to present ideas, develop new talents and simply play in my own ‘playtime’. Personally my own creative pursuits include drawing, painting, experimenting with colours, video, using social networks and photography. I love this aspect of the work I do and it directly improves my commercial output. For many other creative individuals they must also fund their own ‘play’ and communities such as Deviant Art amongst others stand out as examples of designers in differing disciplines experimenting and coming together to inspire each other as well as show off! For me, my artistic exploration of other audio and visual media in my own projects are designed to add credibility to me as an ‘artist’ as well as inspire clients and provide points for discussion.

Fairness

Design success is measured both financially and through criticism with personal expression kept in check by a client led agenda. I strongly believe that a ‘client led agenda’ should be part of funding individuals in the arts to reduce the amount of poor decisions made by poor judgment on the part of funders, weak applicants, inexperience on the part of practitioners or just poor artistic literacy generally. Individual artists will point to the Arts Council website guidelines [9.2.5 of the latest edition in particular] which do try protect the public against poor project results but in my experience there are many projects that fall way short of these demands. Too much so-called art practice is amateurish exploration of a field where far greater superiority already exists – particularly technical superiority. This is wasteful and undermines art practice.

Typical Offenders

Examples that really stand out in my mind would be:

A poorly executed 3D animation from an ‘artist’ based in the East Midlands that was his own exploration of the media but communicated relatively little – yet had a grand opening in London, which required public money to enable it to be free. The designer would experiment with 3D software in this way just to prove a point to a client that they could produce finely crafted ideas in this medium and the standard would need to be high to compete. In a way, if the artist provided funding for a competent 3D artist to create the work then this would make sense from a public purse perspective – local talent is being paid to do a first class job based upon the concept provided by the artist.

VJing and other video based projects, usually relatively low budget in nature, due to the lack of technical competency in execution, become crimes against the tax payer when an artist should seek out those digital craftsmen and women who can produce quality. Of course, this means the artist is very like to have to find other income streams which makes this a hard option for anyone and one that the artist does not have to commit to. The examples I have seen in and around a popular arts cinema in Nottingham as a particular example are mostly nothing more than people would experiment with on their own home computers or people put together for fun on YouTube. It is important to remember that the most typical examples are on the lower end of the budget scale and maybe this is part of the problem – this money is not seen as ‘serious’ and so does not get treated seriously. It adds up to serious waste.

Squeezing the Concept

If artists have got this far in the article without closing the browser then they would probably be quite annoyed at my suggestion that they should use a similar model of keeping the agenda in check. Entitlement is a word that no-one in the arts would dare to use but many project a sense of entitlement – that they have the right to fulfill their own creative desires through the projects they are given and who are we to question them. We would all like to do this but creatives outside of arts funding circles must employ intense creativity and a sense of responsibility to the client. Please note that, for those designers with a ‘know-it-all’ attitude [I'm sure you know at least one] – this is often their downfall as people won’t tolerate this as readily as they will in the arts. Its all about responsibility to those paying the bill and I m calling for artists to share this responsibility so we can improve upon the dross we experience more and more in local galleries and exhibitions.

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Please Note

To a degree this list could look like it is just stating the obvious – “yes, we know we generally need a PC or Apple Mac to create design work in this modern digital age”. In addition to the obvious, the listings should also be viewed as a set of priorities or levels of importance – the first on the list being the items that the freelance designer should consider as most important and a bench mark for functioning as a business. I hope that this provides some guidance or inspiration if you are currently designing or thinking of starting your own freelance design business.

TOP 5 BASIC ITEMS FOR FREELANCE DESIGNERS

1. Laptop PC or Mac [and desktop if possible] with broadband access
2. Mobile phone with email capability – Smartphone, iPhone, Blackberry
3. Website with portfolio examples + webspace + custom email + good domain
4. Contact list + maintained address book eg Outlook
5. Office space at home + favourite cafe or social space

TOP 5 COMMUNICATION TOOLS

1. Mobile and desk phone with inclusive minutes – make sure you can contact clients anytime
2. Email account personalised to company name eg design@simcoe.co.uk
3. Screenshare + voice capability from www.skype.com to collaborate with other remote users
4. www.yousendit.com account for sending large files [up to 1Gb]
5. www.adobe.com account for using communities, Kuler and other services

TOP 5 RESEARCH WEBSITES FOR DESIGNERS

1. www.mashable.com
2. www.designfloat.com
3. www.quickonlinetips.com
4. www.computerarts.co.uk
5. www.bbc.co.uk/click/

TOP 5 DISTRACTIONS

1. Non-work related emails or websites
2. Administrative activities such as new equipment
3. Television such as film / news / daytime terrible TV
4. Poorly managed projects and unhappy clients
5. Telephone calls

TOP 5 WAYS TO IMPRESS

1. Immediately responde to queries, errors, problems or corrections with plans
2. Show persistance and an understanding of how both parties may benefit from the work
3. Show respect to the hierachy of a company as well as the boss
4. Contact a company / organisation / client after its all finish and paid
5. Show creativity in conjunction with the ability to deliver + discuss pitfalls

TOP 5 WAYS TO DEPRESS

1. Do not respond to emails in an acceptable timescale eg within 2-5 hours in most cases
2. Show a lack of understanding / inflated sense of your importance in relation to the client
3. Assume that you know better than others and make unreasonable demands
4. Do not make the project advantages and limitations clear to the client
5. Allow a project to spin out of control either in time or functionality

TOP 5 USEFUL ACTIVITIES

1. Create a design blog and discuss your experience of designing in helpful articles
2. Experiment with other not-for-profit projects to gain experience and exposure
3. Visit relevant exhibitions and galleries to inspire and understand art and design further
4. Completely change your day with some exercise eg running, sport, music
5. Meet with other people in similar circumstances eg freelance, design, other creative

TOP 5 MOTIVATIONAL GOALS

1. Create excellent design projects that create a sense of professional satisfaction
2. Expose yourself to unique experiences through creative activity eg travel photos
3. Community and connection through the production of successful projects
4. Fund your food and shelter needs by doing something you have chosen and enjoy
5. Help fulfill your own desires and material goals by helping others to achieve theirs

TOP 5 STOCK RESOURCES

1. www.istockphoto.com – great for finding design elements or images for your work
2. www.themeforest.net – great for finding themes for WordPress, Joomla, Drupal etc
3. www.activeden.net – Adobe Flash and multimedia elements for your websites
4. www.audiojungle.net – low cost audio soundtracks for your videos or podcasting
5. www.shutterstock.com – alternative backup to iStockphoto.com

TOP 5 SOCIAL SITES

1. www.youtube.com – promote your video production or podcasts
2. www.linkedin.com – display your academic and professional achievements
3. www.flickr.com – online photo sharing site with great supporting tools
4. www.twitter.com – create a list of useful links and designerly comments
5. www.facebook.com – establish a brand and connect with your clients




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A colleague of mine at Loughborough University, Syd Pace, is responsible for co-ordinating the Diploma of Professional Studies for students at Loughborough Design School. He is keen to promote collaboration and partnerships with industry in order to provide third year design students with opportunities to develop professionally relevant skills. Whether you are a student, production manager in a manufacturing company, service provider of some sort or a design consultancy it is worth paying attention to the mutual benefits of getting involved with student placements from somewhere like Loughborough Design School.

1. How did the DPS scheme start and what are its key aims?

As of 2010, the scheme has been running for about 15 years. I introduced it and wrote the regulations based on existing good practice at Loughborough University Engineering Departments. The regulations have evolved over the years, but the aims of the scheme have remained the same. Initially, we invite potential sponsors from industry to create competitive interview opportunities for students during the second year of study. The scheme aims to match student career aspirations to sponsor expectations. We also monitor a student’s progress throughout the year by way of visiting them at their chosen company.

2. What are the benefits to the a) student b) company and c) University?

Benefits to the company are numerous. A student can bring to the workplace the skills of managing projects undertaken in years one and two and an understanding of design processes developed from their academic studies. Also, students bring fresh blood with fresh ideas and new approaches. In some cases Company reputation may be enhanced through working with one of the top universities in the UK.

If you want to look at the benefits to the student – well, the evidence is clear. There is a maturity and a further appreciation of how the theory we have been teaching them is applied in the real world. After being given responsibility, surviving pressure and experiencing the delight of seeing their work being successfully applied by professional designers, engineers and marketing staff they return to Loughborough able to deal with projects on a new level. These are students who have been given a contract, asked to deliver and who have been treated in an equivalent manner to professional members of staff within the organisation.

The University stands to gain from this kind of scheme by being able to demonstrate strong links with some of the big players in industry such as Boots, Triumph, Stanley, Reebok, Bosch and many more prestigious companies. Partnerships help academics to keep in touch with what is really happening inside organisations involved in product design and manufacture and keep Loughborough’s design education at a high standard.

3.What has the general response to the scheme been?

The number of students on placement has grown steadily over the years, we currently place about 70 students despite the so called recession. Some employers have taken a student almost every year since the scheme began and we have a hard core of satisfied sponsors. Other placements are generated entirely from students own initiatives and from the growing body of graduates employed in the design sector. An indication of the success of the scheme is provided by the fact that many students feel that their extra year exposing themselves to an ‘industrial education’ really does add value to the theory and practice they study within the University.

Feedback we have received from employers has been extremely positive. With some of the top companies in the UK willing to take back students on placement each year and when we consider the achievements of the well rounded designers we receive back – we know the scheme is a success.

a useful member of the team – his input has enabled the business to move forward with new processes - Team Leader BAE Systems

an exceptional performer with energy and applied enthusiasm — professional young man with tremendous potential - Head of PFI, E-oN

a constructive and valuable member of the predevelopment team – able to undertake any task the team require of him – dealing with purchasing, marketing and production
– Team Leader Bosch Garden Products

Students also find the scheme valuable:

very beneficial to understanding design for manufacture — a high level of responsibility was good and made me feel a valued member of the company

I have had my own project to run from concept work to talking with manufacturers.

Overall a fantastic year. I never thought I would benefit so much from an industrial year. Having so much responsibility has made me grow up rapidly.

Conclusion

If you or your company would like to be involved with the Diploma of Professional Studies scheme then please contact Mrs Sue Johnson at Loughborough University at the following address:
s.johnson@lboro.ac.uk
01509 228319

Download the Diploma of Professional Studies PDF

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* the brief states that the Flash animation must not be a linear Powerpoint style presentation.

Design Tools

Two of the most efficient tools for beginning a design project are a pen and an A4 or A5 pad. These can be used in a variety of ways:

• Spider diagram or Mindmap exploring initial thoughts from the design brief and gradually narrowing down more clearly defined lines of thought through the use of a tree structure. This tree structure can also contain links between some of the branches where there are relevant links between similar levels of the tree structure. You could use something like FreeMind.
• Consider all the topics and issues surrounding a subject by entering it into the search box at WikiMindMap.
• To do lists. A very important part of a designers thought processes – acting as a reminder for tasks, lists within certain areas of a mind map or a break down of timescales and deadlines for delivery of design work. Try creating a Google Homepage using iGoogle and adding Remember The Milk as an addon to iGoogle – this is a great way to help keep activities listed in a useful way.
• Sketches of the layout, logos and colour scheme for the product. A designer rarely begins this part of the process on his or her computer. Ideas can be quickly tried out and explored using this method and the pen and pad is a couple of tools a designer should rarely be without.

The designer may use the sketches created to show to a client in a meeting or scanned and sent over the net – using [free] screen sharing facilities on www.acrobat.com or even Skype can be very useful – in tests Skype has always come out as the most efficient tool for this purpose. This can often lead to a significant leap forward in client / designer communication [depending on the quality of sketches] without sacrificing too many hours of the project. These precious hours can then be spent refining the final chosen design.

One thing that should not be underestimated is the use of written documents and emails. These should be stored for future reference and will often act as security or insurance for decisions made or problems to resolve. When an email can be referred to during any part of the process it allows the designer to be confident in his or her development of an idea. Ultimately, the best approach to dealing with a client is not to need these emails to refer back to in the way that ‘proves a point’ but to foster a culture of trust and understanding as described in the Design Process 1 article.

Evaluating Your Design

One of the main ways to evaluate your design is to compare it to the original brief and associated questions asked at the beginning of the project. If your questions were not detailed enough then evaluating your design and concluding the project becomes more difficult. Your brief and questions should be the key statements whereby the design is evaluated and should you feel that you have made your case then you can proceed with contacting the client and demonstrating your product. On the right is the sort of development image that could be presented to a client along with an explanation of how the app would work. The reaction to this initial presentation is crucial in terms of establishing whether you are on the right lines or not.

When contacting the client, be prepared to take notes, negotiate changes to the design and evaluate new ideas. Clients are busy going about their daily business and will often not have considered how many options and trials the designer reached before his or her conclusion and will need talking through these clearly in many cases so that the benefits to the work you have done are clearly identifiable. Agree another evaluation date and set a list of tasks to conclude this next design evaluation. Be careful not to undersell your skills if the costing is set but also ensure that the client gets the maximum value for their money.

The process of evaluation and conclusion will be covered elsewhere in this blog at a future date. For the moment, the principles mentioned above and their relationship to establishing a solid and clear brief are sufficient.

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Hardware and Software

Buy yourself some calibration hardware and software. This will measure the coloured light emitted from your monitor and automatically adjust the computer’s colour settings to represent the closest to some of those diffiult calibration problems such as achieving reasonable skin tones.
Personally I use the Spyder2Express system for my calibration – though, as the link demonstrates, this has now been upgraded to version 3. There are several other budget options available including Pantones Huey amongst others.

Calibration Image

You will need to request a printed example of this image – this is usually included as part of a colour chart. I usually put my design work through RCS plc because they are usually very careful to obtain the highest standard in print quality – plus they offer checking and proof reading for a small fee which is always useful as an extra backup after both I and the client have looked through the job.

Discuss

If your printers are not so happy to advise [though please not the use of advise rather than 'hold your hand at every step' which ends up wasting their time] then it is worth looking for a company who will give you a little customer service to ensure the best results possible.

In Conclusion

Please note that, using this process, there are no guarantees that your colour will be entirely accurate but it is safe to assume that, without spending thousands of pounds on consultancy and equipment, using these methods will significantly improve your colour accuracy.

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iGoogle as a web browser homepage – every time my browser opens or I use the home button the Simcoemedia Google page is shown. To create your account simply login / create a Google account then edit the settings for displaying your content by ADDING items. It is easy to set up and provides an informative and constantly updated dashboard for your business.

Xmarks – a great FREE plugin for Firefox or Internet Explorer web browsers. User’s bookmarks will automatically synchronise between all computers running the Xmarks plugin and logged into the same account. This is particularly useful if you have more than one computer for your browsing and general business – you may have an office and home machine or a main workstation and a netbook that can synchronise to avoid constant updating between browsers.

YouSendIt – is a useful program designed to help you send large files without blocking up someones email account or needing to set up tricky FTP sites. Its simple and you can send files up to 100Mb without signing inl. Paying customers can send up to 2Gb per upload with masses of FTP space and plenty of happy customers who can easily access their emails [ie you have not filled their inbox with your data!] and the file you’ve sent them!

FreeMind – another FREE download that is great for formalising your spider diagrams, mind maps, brain-dumps [or whatever you like to call them] for presentation or submission purposes. Once the initial learning curve is overcome then creating diagrams is relatively straight forward, with a variety of options for highlighting, adjusting text, creating lists and nodes and other techniques for communicating your lateral thinking. Diagrams can be exported to PDF and various bitmap formats such as JPEG, BMP etc.

Skype – theres not too much you cannot do with Skype these days and I find it most useful when sharing my design work on screen whilst talking to my client on Skype at the same time. It is FREE to use and Skype to Skype calls cost nothing – which is particularly relevant when you consider that any phone with Skype, such as many of the 3 phones, can make and receive these calls for FREE also. It is also a great replacement for a landline at around £4 / month for any UK landline – but only if you have a speedy connection to the internet otherwise this system can create embarrassing lags in those business conversations when there is high traffic volume.

Quicktime – if you have some digital video input as raw video via Firewire and just need a quick edit and professionally compressed look to your final output then you could do worse than spend the £25 Quicktime are demanding from you for a license to access Quicktime Pro. One of the best features of Quicktime Pro is the excellent H.264 Codec that really shrinks your video size down but maintains high quality output. If nothing else, you should invest in this piece of software for that Codec alone. Files are easily accessed from a PC or Mac with Quicktime installed.

Google Reader – Another part of the Google suite of free online products which basically collects the latest news from all of your favourite sites without you needing to visit those sites to check out the headlines. Personally, I keep up to date with the world of design through online RSS feeds grouped together in Reader, grouped into an easy to read format and constantly updated. This can save alot of surf time and effort to get the news you really want to read.

OpenOffice – Most people know about Open Office now, but in case you do not – it is a free suite of office programs very similar and compatible with Microsoft’s Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint products. There are occassionally a few compatibility or inconsistency issues but generally this makes a great alternative to shelling out £400 for the Microsoft products.

Acrobat.com – Adobe have created some excellent design software such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. They have also created a website where the user has access to a variety of media production related tools including PDF conversion for those without Acrobat Standard or Professional, file sharing where a massive 5Gb file can be uploaded, ConnectNow for screensharing and professional online meetings and Buzzword, a document writer. PDF conversion requires payment to Adobe but other services are FREE.

CamStudio – is a FREE screen capture tool. With this free download you can record your on a computer screen then output a file containing video to a compressed file for delivery over the network. To put it simply, this is a great tool for creating a series of software training videos for your business! Beware though – lengthy screen captures from your PC will create large files. You might want to consider paying for a YouSendIt.com account if you want to create and send this sort of data.

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