Toasties brief - client conversation - 24th onwards

Toasties was really happy with the file that I sent over and the final version of the menu! From liking the menu outcome, they also asked me to produce a flyer which would recognise and celebrate the new menu design and products with giving the consumers offers and competitions. The flyer was a short turn around time so I couldn't experiment or create an ambitious outcome, to fit with the brands turn around times with printing them themselves also. 

(27/01/20)

(28/01/20)

(28/01/20)

Out of context exhibition

The legal stuff - terms & conditions

Freelance - register for self assessment tax - won't be paying until earning around 12,000

Invoice

Terms/service agreements 

A contract in understandable terms 

freelance - can't back out etc 

what our group said:

What may go into one:

• Disclosure of agreement (secret)
• Deliverables
• Payment deadlines
• Mandatory requirements
• number of amendments 
• copyright/licensing 
• contract information - reaching out to 
• upfront cost - 50%
• stages of amendments - process 
• failure of payment - extra fees
• giving credit of work
• specifying who owns the files after
• breaking out clause
• add a fund for unforeseeable if production based 
• deadline to sign contract
• Breaking down the services that will be done
• Penalties if the contract is broken
• can't go to somewhere else to develop ideas for cheaper

Kate Moross advice for what should go into a terms agreement:

• Work hours/days
• Schedule/timeline
• Client responsibilities (communication)
• Client approvals
• Client changes (what point)
• Samples and credit 
• Credit (tagged etc)
• Delays and termination 
• Payment parameters 
• consequences of non payment 
• media (how work is used)
• Duration - owing the  work for how long....
• Location
• Electronic files
• Length of storage
• Retrieval fee
• File requirements 

10 things every creative needs to know:

1. Know the value of your work
2. Protect your work and your brand (copyright, license, patent)
3. Know your client and what they want
4. Who owns your work?
5. NDA (non disclosure agreement)
6. Don't agree to something without thinking about it first
7. Never sign something without reading it and understanding it - even small print 
8. Consultant, contractor, employee or worker? (knowing rights and tax)
9. What to do if someone steals your ideas/designs
10. Get to know a friendly lawyer

Hellosign- sign a pdf 

From this session valuable information was learnt, with not realising how much has to be thought about in order to cover all basis. From the section surrounding invoices, I learnt that perhaps in my current invoice information perhaps I could include how much further amendments would be and also the penalty for late payments as a precaution. I previously (2 weeks ago) sent out my first invoice to Toasties Blackpool and I wasn't sure what to include or the right way to do an invoice was so this session has been very vital, with learning that putting a penalty fee for late payments is a good way to make sure the client pays on time as this was an issue I had with my client, with clients suddenly going quiet when the invoice is sent. From the terms, I have learnt that there is many points that I need to think about when working with clients, especially the process, client responsibilities and the different services we can provide, which will help make everything clear to the client and help with clarity. Overall I have learnt that there is so much to consider within the design industry to make sure we aren't underselling ourselves and we are protecting our brand and our work, to which I will be placing into my brand and learning along the way!

Greeting card Research - primary research

Due to choosing the competition that UK Greetings set, I decided to go into stores like Paperchase in order to get primary research of what is current In the market. Due to do enjoying the market of children within my professional practice and design I had the initial thought of catering the range for children. With seeing the different card styles and ranges throughout the store it helped to see trends and different ways that I can approach the brief.  

Toasties brief - client conversation - 12th to 24th

Within the client brief, we established the important information such as sizing file type and payment before January on a phone call. The project started din January with toasties wanting to provide me with their full new menu items so that I can include all the right information. We had the main communication over email, with all information added here, however we also had some Facebook communication. 

(14/01/20)

(20/01/20)

(22/01/20)

(24/01/20)

UK Greeting: Birthday card research

Sending over client invoice

From having new products released on my Etsy Page, it created interest from a small business in Blackpool of whom wanted to me to do some designs for them. After having a client conversation over the phone, it was communicated that she didn't want anything until the end of February and would send all the information needed for the menu design. Before I started the project I made sure to create an invoice that communicated that it would only be x3 amendments and would be £50. However, in hindsight I should have charged more, however as it was a friends family I felt uncomfortable charging a higher amount and I'm not comfortable enough in design yet. I made sure the invoice was paid before any work was sent out to make sure my work couldn't be used for free.

(now updated to include the new branding)

personal branding - mini hand in

For the mini hand in of personal branding I decided to further develop existing branding to which I already had due to setting up an Etsy store in the summer of 2018. The ideation behind my branding is that I want my brand to be a personal relationship so therefore wanted the logo to represent myself. Due to being heavily influenced by Japanese design in my practice the representation of me is in a cute non realistic style. The rest of the branding uses the coherent colour of light blue throughout and features my 'characters' that face featured in projects and my designs. 

For the main hand in I have decided to re brand due to wanting to be more versatile within my practice. I want to focus on my style however don't want to limit myself with just the use of the characters which I have used in my Etsy banner. I don't think the logo reflects myself anymore and would like feedback to suggest what I can change and develop to further enhance my brand. 

Oliver Bonas - store research

With one of the briefs chosen being the YCN Oliver Bonas candle brief, it was essential to see first hand the products in store to understand further the target market and aesthetic. The current candles being sold in store were found and it is clear that the products take the form of different shapes and styles of packaging, whilst renaming true to Oliver Bonas's style with the floral and patterned designs.  With what was found in store it is clear that a surface pattern approach should be used but testing out different types of packaging should be essential due to the packaging being more complex and engaging then the stereotypical candle.

Emailing studio's/companies

Emailing studio's/companies for work placement/networking

With this year having to focus on industry and my design career after University, I investigated design companies that I could potentially network with and perhaps have a placement with that could help me gain knowledge and experience in the field. From the PPP session around placement proposals I took the advice to use the subject line as placement proposal in order for the email to be memorable and I also addressed in the email the value exchange that would be gained within the placement. With each company I was personal to a specific project or skill to which I have or interest which would suit the company, in orderer it to be clear to what they would gain from me as well as me gaining from them. Also, with taking upon the PPP's session, I requested a specific date (week) so that the conversation would be straight forward and the company would know what I was asking of them. I also decided to state one week because of two due to wanting to have experience in two different places and also perhaps already gaining a week with Craft Stamper with talks already happening. I emailed; Noodoll, Mamas & Papas, Splinter and Young studio. I would have contacted Flying Tiger Copenhagen however having one week in Copenhagen just wasn't viable at this point.

Craft Stamper brief - Stamp Commission

With working for craft Stamper in the past for previous stamp commissions, they approached me again with the love of the last flower stamp creation in order to create a new stylised floral stamp. The stamp has the specifications of being an illustrator 5x5 cm file, with making sure that the stamp isn't too detailed due to the manufacturing process of this cover mount stamp. For inspiration of the stamp, I looked at previous issues of the magazine and Scandinavian folk design, with often having floral imagery with a twist. I also looked at stamp companies, to see what type of design works well for a stamp. From my findings I created initial sketches of the approach that I was going with to then send to the client.

From the initial ideas the client stated that they preferred the last three, with liking the idea of using a more cicurclar flower head rather that the stereotypical loads of petals, which can be seen a lot. They also stated that they liked the idea of having a filled in section to the design, which mixed media artists can use to create depth. From these three preferred, I then illustrated and developed them to create an illustrator file that can be used to be sent to the manufactures. The editor then stated that they really like the circular with circular elements, however the circle should be more circular, and to also add smaller circles that correspond with the outer circle placement. I then continued to develop with the feedback and sent the final version over. The editor signed it off and was really happy with the final design that is detailed yet still inhabits the use of negative space for crafters to colour and to use materials in order to make the design cater to their needs.

10 brief presentation

overall feedback;
Within the placement - try places and sectors to see where you want to fit in the industry
the toasties menu and the pastels branding might be too similar??
I talked through it all well and it was well described
the front page shouldn't have one word on a line

Whole class feedback:
the presentations should be designed better
every aspect from now needs to be considered and designed well
getting sent to examiners