Product:
My connection with the creative industry is mainly graphic design, closely followed by illustration; these are the areas that I am most closely associated with both in training and natural flair. Therefore, my ‘product’ is the skills I have in this area.
What skills do you have and who needs them?
My current skills are mainly in Typography and Illustration. I also enjoy photography but am still eager to expand my skills in this area further. There is constant need for Illustration and Typography in all areas of the Media and any business that uses branding. I can see a clear gap in the market for ‘good’ Typography and Illustration Designers, as I feel the general standard and quality of design work in the market, at the present time can be poor. By being able to do both graphic design and illustration, this should widen my appeal to the design industry and to future clients.
I feel I have a creative flare and instinct to push the boundaries. (why are you special compared to others)
What skills are needed and how do you go about developing them?
I can gain a substantial number of skills and expertise from the Graphic course I am studying. However, I can begin to expand these skills by working within the Industry as much as possible for example in work placements and work experience.
What are your professional/creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the world at large?
Promotion:
The demand for graphic design is very high, however to be regarded as a reputable member of this industry is still challenging. In today’s current design industry it is very much about getting noticed, and then once respect is gained, the designer must work hard to maintain keeping a positive reputation with their clients. In some cases Designers can gain work simply by networking and by ‘who they know’. However, in most cases Designers have to take part in countless competitions and projects to gain respect and get noticed. I am very aware that design agencies and studios have many portfolios sent to them everyday from students and other designers trying to integrate into the industry. However, for this strategy to have a positive impact, I would either have to significantly impress clients or communicate with them with emails and maybe even phone calls. If I take the second option I think it is important to understand the work the agency or studio does before contacting them. This may enable me to connect and understand their needs more clearly. For example, if the client is looking for an illustrator I would tailor my portfolio towards illustration, making my work more accessible and useful to the client.
For the profession I’m looking at entering I see two clear main aims. Primarily to become established as a freelance Graphic Designer gaining a strong reputation and a good client database. My second aim is to try and appeal to particular design agencies and become noticed and involved in their projects. This is a very competitive process and therefore takes time and detailed planning. One of the main sacrifices that I have become aware of when starting out in this industry is that Designers often have to take part in projects unpaid and not necessarily in their area of most interest. However, this appears to be a necessary stepping-stone in networking and integrating into the industry.
Place:
Location used to be much more of a deciding factor, but now with the Internet generation, most design products/information are transferred by email. This would mean my freelance design work could have flexibility and work could easily be done from home. As a freelance Designer I could also meet clients face to face at their location. This is professional method enabling the client to get to know me as a Designer and the way that I work. A considerable number of Design agencies and studios are based in London, which will shape any future decisions that I make in regard to my location and base.
Price:
In order to decipher a suitable price for my ‘product’ and skills I would need to take into consideration a number of factors.
1. Location (traveling costs)
2. Material used
3. Running costs (Electricity; printers)
4. Time (The number of hours spent on a project)
5. Second Party members (Photographers; printers; illustrators)