As part of the 3rd year we need to be a little more professional and start getting our names out there... we were given the task of creating some sort of artefact that could land on an art directors desk to gain more awareness for ourselves and our work... I still want to make a toy (whether it is made of vinyl or not).. but also I want to create a key ring too... however for a quick and easy fix I have gone with stickers... these have been passed onto a few select people and even posted up around Berlin.. (next stop.. seein if I can get some in and around Manchester)...
speaking of which, I already had one folio visit whilst out in Berlin.. but I have been looking at some agencies around Manchester for a possible 2nd and 3rd visit... so far I have only contacted one place out of a possible 30-40 purely based on their own work and website..
This is Creative Spark (site)...
Almost all of the agencies I've gotten links for/researched myself, seem to be more like design studios focused on graphics.. which sadly does not suit my new way of working. Theres hardly any illustration work/illustrators featured in their folios.. and i doubt their actual need for one judging by the kind of commissions these places are getting. However, saying that... whilst looking over the Creative Spark website, I was drawn to the overall look of the site.. with characters holding up information.. the simple cute japanese influence.. and their 'PLAY' section on the site, which features a custom Munny.... (and also the fact that they had a big speech bubble telling me to get in touch... )
Now, I admit... the email I sent to them wasnt exactly the most professional sounding.. I wasnt being too much of a kiss ass, i wasnt coming across as a cocky student but I wanted to sound.. well.. like myself. I like to think I have a good sense of humour and I've tried to show them that whilst askin for a portfolio visit.. but without being too demanding. I sent this late Thursday, so theres still a chance they reply back to me on Monday.. if not.. I may give them a gentle reminder...
There's also a couple other people I need to get in touch with... Tim Robot (aka Tim Wolff) from Berlin, who I was meant to visit whilst out there... I'm still yet to form some coherent questions and update my portfolio. Theres Dok A (aka. Bruce) who is fairly local to the North West area and is a toy designer/artists... and I was going to get in touch with Lunartik (aka Matt Jones) and arrange a visit.. however, the week AFTER I visit Berlin.. I learn that he has just moved out there... but all the best to him and I will still try send him some questions too. I actually started talking to Matt Jones via Twitter, and I have started to realise it's power.. like most things on the internet, you never know who is behind a reply you receive, but for some reason any defensive apprehension is nullified by the use of Twitter... i am more confident contacting companies, individuals, celebrities and friends via these 140 character tweets because I look at it as.. if they reply then great.. if not.. oh well.. move on... rather than sitting there for days hoping to see if you receive a lengthy e-mail reply... if they dont respond, then you can safely assume they have read and ignored your request.. :)
I actually made another contact tonight via Twitter as well, Jamie Roberts, a freelance illustrator working in Manchester. We have only briefly spoken, mainly expressing our hatred for the EnviroPhone adverts on tee-vee, but I have managed to ask a quick few questions about the profession. I won't post anything else just yet, as I havent asked his permission to go ahead with anything yet anyway.
Wicked, I did a long placement at Creative Spark over the summer and they're great for that kind of thing. Really accommodating. I'm sure they'll snap you up too. It's funny you mention those characters becasue one of my projects there was to animate them, if you can be bothered it's over on my Vimeo.
ReplyDeleteWhat D&AD brief are you going for this year? I'm doing the animation one but it's kicking my ass right now.