LinkedIn.com

The other day I was getting my network on, trying to find if anyone in the UK prints snowboards, that search came to no avail, I did however find something else pretty interesting.

From finding out a name, Brandon Ramirez, the creative director at Ride Snowboards and typing it into google, found this site Linkedin.com

Big thing in America for businesses of all nature, kind of a social site where people can contact fellow colleagues, apply for new jobs, get recommendations, message other people, all sorts! But yeah found Ramirez on there and now have a direct line of contact with the head guy at Ride snowboards, now this is pretty exciting for me. I'm putting off getting in touch straight away as I would like to send him a portfolio I felt confident with and that would be a portfolio with the work I'm doing now, so may leave it until christmas to send Ramirez a message.

Aswell as this on peoples profiles they have boxes of similar people in similar fields of work so from finding Ramirez I found all the guys at Super top Secret studio along with people at Burton and K2. winner.

I've made my profile but have yet to really do anything with it! Something I need to get to grips with and understand the nature of more.

My profile:

Aaron Sather, STS / DEATH & TAXES:
Brandon Ramirez:

Super Top Secret

"Super Top Secret is an Interactive focused creative shop with unique capabilities in Design and Advertising. If we were an animal we’d be a Tuatara. It’s got 3 eyes and 3 rows of teeth. Look it up."

"Our business model is simple:

Do awesome work for awesome clients. If you’re an awesome company who wants awesome work, let’s hook it up."

Came across this website for an American design agency based in Salt Lake city.From what I gather, its a team of young guys who love boarding and biking and produce work for some of the biggest names in snowboarding. Mostly doing the artwork for boards. The set up is a bit odd as two of the people who work for STS (SuperTopSecret) have got their own design studio, Death & Taxes. However they seem to share work, both having the same work on their websites and such.

Either way, looks a sick place and I'd love to see myself in a studio like this.

On the site they have a section about applying for a job and also interns, i plan to send them a cheeky message seeing if i could do a cheeky over-seas intern or something, I plan to wait till after christmas to do so because then I should have a body of work that I am proud of and feel truly represents me as a designer.

Feedback, 1ON1

Had first one on one meeting with J.D earlier this week, went fine, going over where I'm at with the briefs, how I am with the work load etc.
Come out with an on-going action plan, covering all areas of my practice and development.

. Concerning Brief One, have to carefully consider the colour palette for the illustrations. Doing my best to match the rider, showing their personality. Researching into the rider, looking at the interview again. Finding what board they ride at the moment, what they wear etc Match the colours to what outfit they wear out on the slopes.

. Personal Identity, in reference to my current identity it doesn't read MRG, not easily anyway. The 'G' is a bit weak and looks a bit more like an 'a'. So I need to re-visit this at some point in the not too distant future.

. Competition briefs, I have yet to decide on a competition brief to include so need to do this sharpish. Did have down wait for D&AD briefs to come out which they did on friday. So need to read them like.

. Talking about the stuff I've got going on with the Snowbombing guys and how I got the chance to do work with them. Considering this, Jane told me to really keep the process up of getting in touch with companies based around boarding and music, get my name out there, whether I'm just emailing to say hi or asking a favor, also whilst doing this, building an address book of emails and specifically names. Building contacts.

Design Strategy: Feedback

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic

Got my feedback for my presentation (Above). Overall Pretty good.

Positives:

. Organisation of material was simple & effective
I didn't want to just read off the screen so left it very clean and minimal.

. Clarity of delivery was concise & articulate.
Im quite a confident person so speaking aloud isn't an issue but at times I feel I don't get my opinions across as clear as I want muddling words and what not, so to be marked down as articulate is pleasing.

Things to work on:

.Level of analysis was ok but could be more active & critical.
I dont know whether this is aimed at my work I showed or general context stuff, I think the active point is directed at whether I am networking / researching into the work / areas of work I see myself in. Something I've been picking up more on since starting back.

.Personal reflection was vague at times, but perceptive at other
This will have to be discussed with Fred I think as I'm not to sure what exactly I've been vague about.

Additional Outcomes:

.I will need new approaches & broader content in terms of my focussed outcomes.
I think this is a valid point, Fred roughly said that if im serious about designing for snowboarding I need to be on top of my game, and more importantly not just produce stuff thats already been done. Need something new, need something to stand out from the crowd.

Thats what I want to keep in mind with all my briefs, not just creating bog standard stuff, even if it does look aesthetically pleasing and is functional.

Snowbombing

For one of my briefs this term I am coming up with some form of promotional design for the Snowbombing festival next year. With this in mind I was going through their website collecting images and the like, stumbled across a contacting page, so I thought I'd leave them a quick message,
I said something along the lines of,

Afternoon!

Im a graphic designer in my final year, looking to produce
a new promo campaign as one of my briefs, just wondering
if you guys would be kind enough to send me any promo
stuff you have, flyers / posters / stickers / brochures
etc

Anything would be greatly appreciated! and if you want
to throw in a free ticket that would just be wonderful,
cheers,
Mitch.

About Half'n'hour later got a reply from a lad called Alex and this
was our line of discussion...

'Hi Mitch,

This is definitely of interest for us. To confirm, you
would be free to design some items for our promo campaign potentially, is that
correct?

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Alex'

_____________________________

Hey Alex,

Well my initial plan was to create / propose some form of promotional campaign for Next years snowbombing as part of my final year project.

I've brainstormed some ideas, focussing on new, innovative ideas that may not have been done in the past,

So far I've got things like a limited edition piste map, holiday style brochure in form of a flyer including all info needed then maybe something with Metro newspaper, series of snowbombing covers or something.

However if you have any specific design briefs I'll be more then happy to work on them!

Cheers

Mitch

_____________________

Hi Mitch,

We are in short, struggling with our design promo work. 2 designers recently left our company, leaving one, meaning we are potentially looking for someone to help with a few web-banners, print adverts etc.

If this could be incorporated into your course, we would be able to throw some snowbombing bits and maybe a holiday your way.

Would be able to send me a few examples of some bits you have done before?

From receiving this I went to send them my portfolio, then
realised that I haven't really got a strong one! So I spent
a bit of time producing a new and updated version, its
still not great, but gives a fair reflection on what I can
do...

Open publication - Free publishing - More portfolio

Now just waiting to hear back from them, fingers crossed they'll like what they see or at least enough to give me a chance / trial brief or something. If this comes off Id be fucking stoked.

PPD Presentation

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic

Desired Cliental

Ride Snowboards is my favourite riding company. The designs are always tight, and mostly Type based, which suits as a designer. This goes across the range of their visual identity from the hardware goods like the boards and bindings to advertisement / editorial / website.

I'd love to one day design for this company and to be fair any snowboard based companies. I found from the last project that i tend to get a lot more out of my design if i am doing it for something / one that i have a passion for. For me i wanna design in the world of Snowboarding and or music. cheers.

Me and the design world

JDK /

America based design agency with studios on both East & West coasts.

Found out about these guys from trying to find out the designers for Burton snowboards. They had done the whole brand and identity work for Burton which really amazed me, before i had no idea and Burton is like the Mainstream god of the snowboarding world. So its pretty big business right here! Looked at more of their work and it is very impressive, very nice editorial designs and an impressive range of cliental, one that i would like to cater for myself. Snowboard and other like sport brands plus some work for Nike. Id love to do something with / for Nikey.

Me as a Designer

Some examples of work i have done this year that i feel represent me well as a designer, Typography based design, commercial non-pretentious design!

Work Placement / Line of Discussion

Hi Sam

My name is Mitch, I’m emailing about a possible work placement this summer.

I got your contact info from my dad, Mike Gibbons, who mentioned me to you

and said if i was interested in working with you guys to drop you a line.

I’m currently in my second year studying graphic design at the art college

here in Leeds. Within design I’m mostly interested in typography and using

type as image which is evident in my work.

In terms of web design I’ve had some experience producing assets for sites

and I am currently in the middle of a design for screen module which I’m

really enjoying.

I’ve attached a few examples of my work during my time in Leeds and I am

more than happy to come and meet with you to discuss further.

Regards

Mitch Gibbons '

Hi Mitch,

Sorry I didn’t get back to you earlier. Your email went into my Junk folder, which you mustn’t interpret as a damning indictment of your design work!

We’d be very happy to get you in for a work placement and I’ve passed your details onto our Creative Director, Guy Sharman. If you get in touch with him directly he’d be happy to sort this out for you.

Kind regards,

Sam

Hi Mitch,

I’ve just seen I have a email from you that’s been in my junk folder. Why it went straight into there I don’t know.

I read it, moved it to my current folder and now can’t find it anywhere.

So wondered if you can send the info again , I know it mentioned placement time in August I think.

Regards

Guy

Guy Sharman
Creative Director

Hey Guy

Not a problem, it said that I had recently contacted Sam Ineson about a work placement this summer and he told me to get in touch with you to sort it all out.

I was hoping to arrange the placement to be during August and I’m happy with however long you want me to be with you guys, whether it be a couple of days or weeks.

Cheers

Mitch

Hi Mitch,

We could do a couple of weeks in August if you can.

If you send me exact dates if when you want to do I’ll put it my calendar.

Cheers

Guy

Hi again Guy,

If i could come down on the week beginning 23rd of August lasting till the 3rd of September, that would be great!

Cheers

Mitch

Hi Mitch,

Yep that will be fine, I’ll put it in my outlook calendar.

If you can do same and remind me a few weeks or week before I can make sure we have a PC setup.

Cheers

Guy

Competitors

Browsing through some agency websites, i came across a link to a 3rd year graphics student at Leeds uni. Currently on a placement at Music.agency, the swine! Bit of local competition, was interesting to look at his work see firstly what other design students are capable of and also to see what the course is like over at the Uni.

In terms of his design, some of it was pretty nice however didn't full understand what message he was getting across with some of his designs and that but nonetheless some strong work.

Me and the design world

This is work from the agency, Give up Art. Looking at their work i can really see some of my own style in it, specially the examples above, type based, eye grabbing design, something that i feel i want to do and can be seen within some of my work.

Draplin Design Co.

Some work from Aaron's company, some Very nice designs, across a range of media, Print / editorial / digital / hardware (snowboards). Aaron has a nice range of board based cliental and its nice to see that it is possible to make it as a designer pretty much purely focused on a specialist client market, such as snowboarding. Impressive and inspiring!

Emails

From sending out the emails this morning  i already got a response which really surprised me! 

This is what i sent...

Hey Guys / Aaron  

My names Mitch, Im a graphic designer / snowboarder from  
Leeds in the UK. I came across your website from trying to find  
out who designed some of Ride's snowboards and you've done  
some sick stuff!  
What sticks out for me is your design for the Ride Timeless  
series, and the majority of work you have done for Grenade is  
hot as the sun!  
I've left my blog address as my website, if you find any spare  
time it'd be awsome if you could have a quick glance at my  
portfolio and any feedback or direction or even further contact  
details would be greatly appreciated. 

Cheers 
Mitch

and this is what i got back from Aaron himself!

Hey Mitch,

Thanks for the good words, and for coming by the site. Much appreciated.

I've had a good run with the shred stuff. I grew up riding and that turned into a little career with the stuff. It's been super fun and rewarding the last decade. 

Thanks for sending in your work, too. Keep the fire burning hot and keep it fun! I'm not really one to get into specifics about student work, but wanted to pass on some of the best advice I've heard: KEEP THE SHIT FUN! 

As in, make this stuff your life, and don't let it become a job. That'll strip away so much of the magic. 

Keep it fun, and go the extra mile whenever you can. It'll always pay off.

Hope my halfwit words help you, man.

Thanks again, take care and stay strong!

//aaron

He sounds a right lad! But yeah i really appreciate his quick response and what he said does hold a lot of truth! So im gonna carry on and keep this shit fun! Whats really inspiring about this to me is that he mentions making a career from first snowboarding! which is something i really want to aspire to!

Check out Aarons work at www.draplin.com

Work Placement

To update the ol' blog, i managed to get the work placement for 2 weeks late August! The guys have accepted to have me from the 23rd of august to the 3rd of September, im really looking forward to it and the guys have said that i'll get my own computer which is good as it should mean i get to work on some live briefs and stuff!

Image identity

A new look for me i think! Hand drawn type something different than what iv used a lot for the past year or so...

Check out my blog homepage to see it in a proper context.

Work Placement

At this moment in time i am looking to get a work placement in the summer with a Web-based design agency, TwentySixDigital. 

Im not wanting to go there to learn web code, more the designing of assets for websites, well thats what id like to do anyway!

The agency has a vast and impressive cliental, ranging from the Army, RBS and Hugo Boss. 

 

                                  


                                  

When i first looked at the site i was quite impressed, some of the work they have produced is rather lovely.