Whilst studying design at the University of Leeds, Dan became friends with Matthew Logan. Both wanted to work with one another and were given a scholarship by through the university careers centre, leading them to set up a studio called 'Logan and Saul.' Money from the scholarship was used to pay for a website and business cards, though shortly afterwards Matthew and Dan parted ways. Dan had also interned for contemporary Australian artist Shaun Gladwell, created music videos for friends, and went on to work with film production company Left Eye Blind who have worked with artists such as the Kaiser Chiefs and Haim. Additionally, Dan collaborated with illustrator Elliot Kruszynski on the 'Yorkshire Boast,' a celebration of things about Yorkshire that people may or may not know.
After parting ways with Logan, Dan started another project. He wanted to join two of his passions - coffee and graphic design. It is worth noting here that Dan loved the photography of Justin Slee after seeing his photographs for the Northern Ballet. Considering this, Dan began work on a visual guide/showcase of coffee shops in the north of England, initially entitled 'Coffee Shop Project.'
The project, proposed to feature the drinks, the people and the places serving coffee in the north, needed funding and therefore Dan set up a Kickstarter crowd-funding initiative. He also set up an Instagram and twitter to 'build hype.'
Coffee Shop North Timeline
March 2015 - Meet with Justin Slee and have him join the project.
June 2015 - Test shoot at Lanes Coffee Shop, Leeds. Set up of social media for promotion.
August 2015 - Finalised Kickstarter initiative.
September 2015 - Kickstarter initiative went live. Met with G . F Smith.
January 2016 - Shock wave 02. Call for illustration.
March 2016 - 2nd design created.
April 2016 - Met with Pressision. Promo Launch.
May 2016 - Finalised design. Book sent to print. Register publication with ISBN. Launch at Colours May Vary
June 2016 - Distribution. Increase of Stockists.
June 2016 - Mini launch in Hull.
July 2016 - Mini launch in Newcastle. Nominated for British Book Award 2016.
November 2016 - Book is 'Highly Commended' by the British Book Awards 2016.
Another self-initiated project of Dan's is a photoessay of a fashion with models dressed as each of the 4 Evangelicals entitled Salvation.
In addition to his own projects, Dan/Saul studio has also produced a record sleeve design and tour posters for The Hubbards, flyers and loyalty cards for Colours May Vary, an infographic of the drinks menu at The Bear, a coffee shop in Sheffield, and designs for King St. Social, a members only dining experience.
Advice
- Connect with people on social media, especially Instagram, to find collaboration.
- Your attitude is important to make it work.
- Get yourself in the right position.
- Find people that understand you.
- Collect Graphic Design.
- .Find your niche.
- It's not as pretty as it looks.
- Do/don't move to London.
The work produced by Dan, Coffee Shop North in particular, is hugely inspirational. He sets an example of having belief within a project and seeing it through to the end. It shows how important undertaking personal work alongside professional work is in gaining recognition within the industry and keeping a balance in your creative practice. I would love to produce my own publication in the future, and having seen Dan's success with Coffee Shop North, I would consider doing this in the future.
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