Debbie Millman for Creative Mornings: The Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Graduated College

Though I have seen this talk multiple times previously, I find it more and more beneficial each time I watch it. Different lessons and notions Millman speaks of seem more relevant to my life every time I watch it, and I therefore come away from the video each time with an enhanced sense of clarity regarding one or more of the lessons she gives. The talk doesn't only provide clarity and understanding in terms of design, but life in general also. It is insightful, revealing 

and inspiring.

Stripped back to the basic 10 things Millman wish she knew when she graduated college are featured below:

1. Design talent is equivalent to operational excellence.

Provide empathy, talk about what you do in a way that allows viewers to understand your message. Understand your message and communicate it to others.

2. Design is not about design - it is about a lot of other things.

We need an encyclopaedic knowledge of the world. The client is looking for a return on their investment, the difference will it make in somebody’s life.

3. There are two things that are not really about what we think they are about; money and sex.

Money is rarely about money, convince them that the value you’ll provide will be valuable enough for them to pay for it.

4. Ideas are easy - Strategy is much harder.

Strategy is the unique point of difference. It is choosing activities differently. You should be able to communicate what you are doing and why you do what you do. 

5. know what you are talking about.

Tell the truth especially when you don’t know something. People love to teach

6. Common vocabulary does not equate to common behaviour.

Work on the design brief with the client to decide what the client language means.

7. Relentlessly prepare.

Prepare yourself for every possible outcome.

8. Beware of artificial harmony.

It allows you to come up with a game plan.

9. Seek out criticism.

Only use work that you love in your portfolio, don’t use fillers to show your skills. If you’re not making enough mistakes you’re not taking enough risks.

10. You need to know how to present.

Take a class - Talk about your work in a way that creates a framework and decide what your criteria for success is.

A further two quotes from Millman I love in this talk are:

“Busy is a way of organising you priorities if you really want to do something you’ll find the time to do it.”

“Take opportunities to continue to be educated”

Austin Kleon - Show Your Work

Today I was shown an SXSW Keynote video featuring Austin Kleon as a speaker, presenting his views on creativity and sharing influence. Kleon is an artist and writer based in Austin, Texas, USA who's work is primarily concerned with creativity in today's world and how to harness it, share it and keep it alive.

Kleon's talk focuses on the ideology of their being two major identities within our lives and creative practices. He allegorises the industry as a 'monster movie' in which there are Vampires and Human Spam.

Vampires are those who suck the energy out of the people around them, later using this energy for themselves and their own practices.

Human Spam are the people who want to be listen to, but don't want to listen to others. The people who want the support of others, but do not support anyone else themselves.

Both these types of people, according to Kleon, believe to become known and produce their masterpieces as 'geniuses' they must work in solitude waiting for creativity to strike.

Though geniuses may have the most acclaimed work, creativity is in short supply to them. Klein suggests that there is a new way for designers to become and stay more creative than ever - by becoming part of a Scenius. A scene of people, collaborating, sharing, contributing to a wider purpose. These groups of people take and swap ideas from one another, allowing conversation and inspiration to manifest itself into new, shared ideas that ultimately yield greater work, and also self progression.

Watching the talk made me realise that you don't have to be a genius to become known and gain recognition, but instead through collaboration, listening to others and sharing ideas the work you produce will undoubtedly reach more people through a network of like-minded practitioners and therefore open doors of opportunity and development. 

OUGD403 - Design Skills - Module Assessment Feedback and Marks

Today I received the Module Assessment Feedback and Marks for OUGD403, Design Skills. Despite concerns regarding the predictability of the work I had produced and the mark I would receive as a result, I have achieved a grade of 70%. This grade was my aim and is the minimum mark I wish to achieve for any given module. I am ecstatic that I have been able to meet this mark and hope to be able to achieve the same or above in the future - though I know it will require me to go further and work harder.

Visiting Professionals - Alphabet

Alphabet are a Leeds-based design agency who specialise in branding and creative direction. They produce 'bold and brave work for bold and brave clients.' The agency was founded by Sam Lane, Abbas Mushtaq and Sebastian Needler - all recent graduates from Leeds College of Art's graphic design course - the course I am now studying. Alphabet are concept driven,  building brands and telling stories through branding, print, web, social and physical forms. 

Alphabet provide the following services:

• Strategy
• Positioning
• Brand & Identity
• Art Direction
• Messaging
• Packaging
• Editorial
• Marketing 
• Digital

Listening to the group speak about all the things they had achieved and projects they had completed for some big clients in such a short time after graduation was inspirational. Knowing that with hard work and the foundation set by LCA these graduates have been able to achieve so much in a short amount of time makes me excited at the prospects I myself may have after graduating if I give my all to the course. The talk they gave has given me extra motivation to succeed and insight into what to expect over the next three years. 

Visiting Professionals - Peter & Paul

Peter & Paul are a design communications studio 'on first name terms with anyone who wants to talk about ideas.' The team, actually a team of 6 (not just Peter and Paul) based in Sheffield, approach briefs based on the individuality of a business, product, service or place - finding its unique selling point to generate ideas that will connect to their given audience. Clients of the studio range from big to small, from new ventures that need establishing to hugely successful clients who are looking for

something different.

'Great ideas and clear thinking work for all shapes and sizes.'

Peter and Paul create works in all of the following fields:

• Branding and Strategy
• Creative and Art Direction
• Spaces and Places
• Digital and Online
• Moving Image and Film
• Print and Editorial 

Having worked across all fields for Leeds College of Art as a client, Dan from Peter and Paul came in to talk about the studio's practice and process when designing - providing invaluable points of consideration and advice.

Firstly, Dan spoke of the importance of knowing the location/point of delivery for designs before beginning to generate ideas. Without knowing all the information and research prior to idea generation, resolutions become purely aesthetic with limited functional concepts.

A point stressed by Dan was the importance of generating a range of distinct, differentiating ideas before pitching to a client. When producing concepts for LCA, he noted there was around 16 alternating ideas in the beginning, which were then refined and shortlisted until the most appropriate/effective were selected - including a timeline of the College's history and

alumni amongst much more.

Perhaps the most valuable piece of information given by Dan from Peter & Paul was how to find the right balance between content and design, something they discovered the hard way when starting out.

He says when designing for 'content rich' pieces, the design element should be 'light' and minimal, whereas when designing aesthetic-driven pieces, the content should be 'light' and the visuals 'rich.'

This is something I will always keep at the forefront of my mind when considering ideas and given briefs.

James Webb Young's 5 Step Process for Idea Generation

Step 1:
You gather as much information on the problem as you can. You read, you underline, you ask questions, you visit to inform work.

Step 2:
You sit down and actively attack the problem.

Step 3:
You drop the whole thing and go and do something else while your subconscious mind works on the problem.

Step 4:
EUREKA!

Step 5:
You work out how to implement your idea.

OUGD403 - Design Skills - End of Module Self Evaluation

Having submitted my first module of the first year, I am happy to have reached this first milestone. I feel proud of the work I have produced and feel I tried my hardest to address all the learning criteria via documentation on my studio practice blog. At the very beginning of the course I was surprised that the work I produced was to be documented via the blogger platform, as I was expecting a format more similar to that I experienced on the foundation at the Vernon Street building (including a studio notebook, critical journal, reflective planner etc.) I see both pros and cons to the blog format in that it allows me to quickly document my work more considerately in terms of language used and professional articulation of my ideas, however, in terms of producing and evidencing practical work I feel it is somewhat restrictive - work has to be scanned in or photographed which can occasionally be a time consuming process.

The knowledge I have gained previously through my A-Level course and foundation thereafter have unquestionably allowed me to feel like I have been provided with a good starting point on the course, all of which has been developed and enhanced in such a short space of time in the preliminary weeks of the course up until now. I am excited to learn more and progress, hopefully, to the best of
my ability.

Something I have noticed throughout critiques in the first module is a reoccurring comment of my work being 'the obvious response,' 'too obvious' or lacking in developed concept. I am struggling with this as I feel my responses have been concept driven and informed by the research I had undertaken, yet there must be something I am not seeing or perhaps I am being biased towards my own work. I am worried this negative feedback will result in me not achieving a grade of 70%, which in all honesty would seem like the end of the world to me due to the standard I have set myself for my aspirations at university.

Study Task 02 - Why am I here? What do I want to learn?

5 reasons why I chose to study on this course:

1. Location - Leeds as a university location for me was the only option. It isn't far from home, my Mum is from here and my brother attended The University of Leeds before I came to do my foundation last year. All of these factors meant I was already familiar with the city and its youthful and ever-developing status. I felt that I would be overwhelmed by going to London due to its size, whereas Leeds I feel is small enough to get to know and navigate with ease - yet big enough to still have the city-feel.

2. The LCA Reputation - Having attended multiple open days at Leeds College of Art and carrying out extensive research into the institution before hand, I found that the reputation of the college alone was reason enough to want to attend here - it being the highest ranked independent art college in the UK was especially reassuring that this was where I wanted to study. Although I had numerous people question my ruling-out of the possibilities of studying in London, I never had any doubt in my desire to study a LCA. The college also has an impressive list of alumni, including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Damien Hirst. 

3. The Facilities - Access to industry-standard facilities is naturally the best way to acquaint yourself with equipment and environments most similar to those that will be experienced in life after university, which is why the facilities of LCA are so renowned. The print possibilities here are endless, the library has an extensive collection of books and journals, and the studios are creative spaces. The state-of-the-art resources here allow for full potential to be discovered, exceeded even, which is what I want to achieve.

4. Graphic Design Specific - Having researched courses prior to applying to university, I found that many courses in this field were a combination of multiple practices - such as Graphic Design and Illustration, animation or visual communication - which is not what I wanted. I explicitly wanted a course that was specifically focused on the singular practice of graphic design. Here at LCA, all the courses are very much subject specific, making it the perfect course to meet my desired requirement. 

5. Foundation Diploma in Art and Design - Having completed my foundation at the Vernon street site of LCA, I had been fortunate enough to have met some of the graphic design tutors multiple times before interview, taking part in workshops to experience the style and subject of some lessons and attending subject talks on the structure of the course and receiving invaluable information - all of which confirmed this course to be the right one for me. My experience on the foundation showed me the dynamics of the institution and I thoroughly enjoyed the year, and so was confident my time at Blenheim Walk would also be enjoyable.

5 things that I want to learn during my time on the course:

1. Theory - Despite having already been familiarised with the main theories of graphic design during my A-Level graphic design course, such as the Gestalt theories of visual perception, Johannes Itten's colour theory, and György Kepes language of vision, I wish to expand and enhance my knowledge in design theory to be able to make more informed design decisions that go beyond purely aesthetic gratification. 

2. The Specifics - Learning the specifics of how the design process works in industry is something I desire to learn, such as how to produce work to specific requirements and how to achieve them within a restrained time-scale.

3. Skills - Having developed some skills during my foundation to a certain extent, such as screen, lino and mono printing, I wish to develop some of these skills further as well as develop new ones - such as manual type-setting and printing thereafter.

4. Networking - Learning how to network with established industry professionals is something I desire to achieve on this course in order to be able to provide myself with possibility of opportunity and work experience in the field of graphic design. I feel this is also something that would develop my confidence individually, making it an important skill to learn.  

5. Types of design - I would also like to learn about the different types of graphic design in detail and what each of them entail, such as editorial design, web/app design etc. 

5 things I think are my strengths:

1. Knowledge in design theory - The first term of my graphic design A-Level required me to complete Johannes Itten's preliminary course, as taught at the Bauhaus. This has proved to be completely invaluable to me as I have progressed through to further education. I feel it has given me a head start in the understanding of design and how to make appropriate design choices.

2. Study of English Literature - My study of English literature I believe has significantly impacted my capability to write and construct writing, aiding my ability in essay writing and analysing using apt terminology. This skill has been transferable to the subject of design in that I believe I am able to analyse and evaluate the work of others, and my own, successfully and confidently.

3. Skills in processes - Both my A-Level course, foundation course and personal experimentation have provided me with a diverse range of knowledge in processes that can be used to enhance the message communicated through a piece of design. These include emulsion, acetone and cover-film transfer, screen, mono and lino printing, heat-transfer foiling and also film photography and dark-room print development. The foundation course also taught me how to consider things differently and how to generate more diverse ideas. 

4. Adobe Creative Suite - I now have three years experience in using adobe programmes such as photoshop, illustrator and indesign. This enables me to have the confidence to produce any idea I come up with digitally or hand-produced, comfortable in the knowledge I am able use the programmes to extend and refine designs.

5. Perfectionist - I  am always content in knowing that anything I have produced is up to the highest possible standard I can achieve. I am able to recognise when I feel I have produced something un-successfully and in doing so devise a plan to change and improve. My constant self-critiquing allows me to identify when I feel something isn't quite right; I am always willing to make improvements when and wherever possible.

5 things I would like to improve on:

1. Social Confidence - Something I struggle with significantly is my ability to talk to new people. It is something I fear will act as a hindrance to opportunities that present themselves involving social environments, such as networking and attaining clients, as well as presenting and public speaking.

2. Time awareness - Although I regularly make lists and prioritise tasks, I regularly fall short of the completion of these tasks as I underestimate how long it takes to carry out certain processes to the standard I want to achieve.

3. Safeness - At times I feel that I have a tendency to produce the same style of work over and over again. I would like to have diversified my practice and abilities in experimenting with a range of styles, though maintain an identifiable aesthetic that is my own consistently. Letting go and being spontaneous are not strong traits of mine.

4. Self expectation - I have always had a high expectation of myself to constantly be excelling in all that I endeavour in, criticising myself for anything that doesn't meet my personally set standard. With failure as my biggest fear, it becomes draining at times trying to maintain all aspects under such personal scrutiny. I would like to improve on becoming more acceptant of some things being out of my control, and that not everything can be 100% all of the time.

5. Mental organisation - Although in terms of physical organisation I am somewhat excessive, when it comes to psychological organisation I begin to struggle. I find it hard to configure myself when I have too many things to consider at once which at times can affect my work ethic. I would like to improve my ability to separate simultaneous concerns to be able to organise myself and take action more successfully.

5 things that inspire me:

1. Home - Whenever I go home for the weekend I come back feeling more inspired. I feel that being surrounded by familiarity and the dynamic of being home somehow evokes a rational mind from which I am able to come up with a higher volume of ideas and motivations.

2. Interior decoration - I love sourcing objects and pieces from different places to create a cohesive visual aesthetic that communicates a particular style. Everything from the pieces themselves to the arrangement thereafter. Picking and choosing from a particular starting point, such as a colour, to create something that is visually gratifying is very much enjoyable to me.

3. The old - I find great inspiration in that which has gone by in time and the way things were and what people used to do. I treasure the notions of good manners, smart dressing, letter writing and going for walks. 

4. Conceptual Ideas - Ideas that are concept driven, that are somewhat clever in what they have achieved. Metaphors and things that visually communicate through the suggestion of an idea. Things that really make a person take time to consider inspire me. 

5. Attention to detail - One of my greatest inspirations is attention to detail. I revel in identifying accents and small additions that surpass mundane standards. There's something in being able to identify the most subtle of additions to a piece of design and seeing what a substantial affect it has that I am obsessed with. 

5 examples of design that demonstrate my fields of creative interest.   

Design that emits a sense of delicacy and extreme finesse.
Things that become more than what they are.

Jessica Walsh and Timothy Goodman's "Quotes on shit."
Metaphoric communication and strong concept of
rescuing the discarded.

Maricor Maricar's hand-crafted embroidered illustrative
lettering. Attention to detail through precision and texture.

Photographed compositional arrangement.

Visual contrast, here between photographed subject and line
drawing.

Future You Presentation

Time Planning Week

After lasts weeks session, I spent the following week writing down what I needed to do/what plans I had each morning for the day ahead. This activity allowed me physically see what tasks I had to complete, whilst also setting myself realistic aims and targets by visualising the time I had per day to spend on completing work and also allowing myself social time to stay motivated and rewarded.
By physically writing the criteria throughout the week, I experienced an enhanced level of organisation, awareness of time and also pro-activeness. Following this week's experience, I plan to integrate more list making into my
creative practice,

Time Planning

Time management allows for the mind to be cleared for the creative thought process. It is an necessity in the creative industry to plan and schedule time in order to achieve set tasks and briefs, often within a restricted timescale.

Functioning professional practices would not survive in the industry without established time planning and scheduling to guide them through the design process with clear aims and objectives. Many large agencies have an entire department dedicated to the art of planning, whilst smaller agencies have to take this task on amidst all other sectors of the set task. Without explicit time planning, a practice can not be a professional success.

Poor time management in the creative industry can lead to the following downfalls:

• Missed deadlines.
• angry, disappointed clients.
• substandard work.
• missed opportunities. 
• Stress.

Perhaps the most severe result of poor time planning, further than stress, is burnout. This psychological stress consists of lack of motivation, exhaustion and feelings of inadequacy and self worth.

So how is time planning possible?

Love list-making  |  Set goals for the hour/day/week/month  |  Have "to-do's"  |  Have "want to-do's  |

Know yourself  |  Plan ahead.

Tips for Time Management.

I found a page on the NHS website, from their "mood zone," which documents ways in which we are affected by stress, anxiety and depression - all feelings that can be experienced as a result of poor time management. It details good time management as an essential for "coping with the pressures of modern life without experiencing too much stress." By becoming successful at managing time, we are able to feel more relaxed, focused and in control of our lives.

“The aim of good time management is to achieve the lifestyle balance you want,”

says Emma Donaldson-Feilder, a chartered occupational psychologist.

Her "top-tips" for time management are exhibited below:

• Work out your goals.
• Make lists.
• Work smarter, not harder.
• Take breaks.
• Prioritise important tasks

Donaldson-Fielder expands on each of these tips, which can be found at:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/pages/time-management-tips.aspx

Events in November

National

Where? 
Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, London.
When? 
25th November 2015 - 14th February 2016
Who? 
Michael Craig-Martin
What? 

Transience - The first solo show of Craig-Martin’s work in a London public institution since 1989, Transience will bring together works from 1981 to 2015, including his era-defining representations of once familiar yet obsolete technology; laptops, games consoles, black-and-white televisions and incandescent lightbulbs that highlighted the increasing transience of technological innovation. The exhibition also featured new wallpaper that had been conceived especially for the exhibition. 

 Local (Leeds)

Where? 
The Gallery at Munro House, York Street / Duke Street, Leeds.
When? 
9th-15th November 2015
Who?
Joan Cornella
What? 

The Gallery at Munro House, in partnership with Thought Bubble Festival, are to host an exhibition of works by Spanish cartoonist and illustrator Joan Cornell, who is famous for his unsettling, surreal humor and black humorous comic strips - as well as artwork. He has a global following, with his works consisting of mostly wordless 6 panel comic strips. Cornellà explores disturbing themes, extreme discomfort, often grotesque, all packaged neatly into brightly coloured, beautifully rendered comic strips.

This will be Cornellà’s first solo exhibition in the UK, exclusive to the Gallery and to Leeds.

Thought Bubble is the UK’s largest annual event which celebrates sequential art in all its forms, including everything from superheroes to independent and small press comics.

Thought Bubble Festival runs 9-15 November 2015, with tickets available online now.

Radio/Television

The radio, television and internet are abundant with constantly updated platforms and contents, meaning here is where you are sure to find talks, documentaries and commentaries. With sites such as Nowness premiering new videos everyday, and TED Talks regularly being uploaded - there will be plenty of sources of inspiration to take advantage of in November and beyond.

BE A SPONGE - 10 New Sources of Inspiration

Today's session entailed discussing sources of inspiration and materials to be taken advantage of to inform our own practices, remembering inspiration can be taken from anywhere.

"Inspiration can be taken from around you, and also within you."

Where can you find inspiration?

Blogs  |  Galleries  |  Books  |  Magazines  |  Zines  |  Gigs  |  Concerts  |  The Street  |  Socials  | Performances  |  The Past  |  The Future  |  Friends | Family

Sectors inspiration can be taken from:

Art  |  Music  |  Poetry  |  Film  |  Literature  |  Dance  |  Photography  | fashion  |  architecture  |  Technology  |  Science

Noted Sources

Ted Talks  |  Do Lectures  |  The Chicken Shed Chronicles  |  Instagram  |  Medium  |  The Plant Hunter  |  Radio 4  |  Another  |  Dazed and Confused  |  Pinterest

Having compiled lists in groups of our inspirations, we then shared them with the rest of the class to provide one another with new sources to influence our practices. Below are 10 sources I discovered in the session:

Design Milk - http://design-milk.com

Design Milk, founded by Jaime Derringer, is a design blog featuring new interior design ideas, architecture, modern furniture, home decor, art, style, and technology. The blog has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Time Out New York, The San Francisco Chronicle, was one of the Google Reader Engineers’ Staff Picks and has been noted on Twitter’s “Who to Follow” list of influencers in Art and Design.

Alongside graphic design specifically, I also have a strong interest in interior design and decoration. Design milk provides imagery of contemporary interiors that excite me in that they make me consider  how I may want my own home in the future. 

Twitter - One Minute Briefs - https://twitter.com/OneMinuteBriefs

One Minute Briefs is a concept brought to you by Nick Entwistle, creator of The Bank of Creativity. They promote brands and causes via Twitter by challenging the creative community  to respond to a brief in One Minute and reward the best ideas. When they publish their ideas, they are shared - generating hundreds of thousands of mentions per day which is all positive advertising content for the client. This enables the brand to engage with a large audience very quickly and cost effectively. It is also a great tool for educational workshops, talks, events and is a popular social network for the creative industry.

When inspiration and creativity is lacking, these briefs may act as a resource for myself to be able to begin generating ideas, which in turn will undoubtedly bring an abundance of thoughts on my own personal project considerations.

Newgrids - http://newgrids.fr

New Grids was launched in spring 2011 by Thomas Bouillot, with the aim of gathering some creative work, original thinking and digital experiences.

This curation of work and new ideas and considerations is abundant with articles and writings that not only inform on contemporary practices, but also provide information that is thought provoking and interesting. I feel regular visits to this website will keep my outlook on design fresh and exciting.

People of Print - http://www.peopleofprint.com

The People of Print website, originally created by Marcroy Eccleston Smith, began in 2008. Its purpose is to serve as a library of illustrators, designers and printers both creatively and commercially with the purpose of educating and inspiring.

Having been introduced to a number of print methods during my foundation and discovering a love I had for the processes and finishes alike, this website will allow me to explore the possibilities of contemporary print practice and perhaps inspire a preference for print over digital where possible and/or appropriate.

Friends of Type - http://friendsoftype.com

Friends of Type is a website featuring original typographic design and lettering. The site showcases  fresh visual content typically every day, by four primary contributors. Posts are meant to log ideas, express, and inspire them and their readers. In the last week of every month they feature a guest designer, someone they admire and think will elevate their work and the site through their contribution.

As somebody who considers type something they want to form a significant part of their practice, this website will provide me with inspiration and links to practitioners in this field I may otherwise have been unaware of.

Eye Magazine - http://www.eyemagazine.com

Eye is "the world’s most beautiful and collectable graphic design journal." It is published quarterly for professional designers, students and anybody else interested in critical, informed writing about design and visual culture.

The writing style used in the magazine is what attracts me to this publication. I love reading interesting, professional articulations on design concerns. Wording and prose are something I have interest in, making eye a potential collectable of my own in the near future if possible.

Betype - http://betype.co

Typography and calligraphy, lettering. Find the best fonts suggestions.

To become more competent and hand lettering is a significant ambition of mine, so retype is an ideal online resource for exploring the practice and bettering my own.

My Modern Met - http://www.mymodernmet.com

My Modern Met is "the big city that celebrates creative ideas." The site is a platform for creatives to discover art, design and photography inspiration.

This site collates inspirations from all corners of the design industry. It is a great site for keeping informed on contemporary practices in all creative sectors, and therefore is an important site to visit regularly.

Nowness - https://www.nowness.com

Launched in 2010, NOWNESS is a video channel showcasing contemporary culture through film.  A new video is premiered everyday that gets under the skin of the most influential names across art & design, fashion & beauty, music, culture and food & travel.

Nowness provides a more captivating platform for keeping up to date with the latest significant occurrences in contemporary design and beyond. By watching each premiered video daily, being informed on current affairs in the creative industry will be easier than ever for me.

Debbie Millman: The Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew When Graduating College

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkd8OSDa55A

Debbie Millman offers tactical and practical advice for soon to be design grads applicable to anyone in any walk of life.

This talk by Debbie Millman provides excellent insight into life as a practicing designer, interaction with clients and beyond. The talk by Millman allows for new perspectives to be adopted and for the industry, and life in general, to be seen with more clarity. This is one of my favourite talks.