True North Design

True North is a Manchester design agency that helps transform organizations, create and re-invigorate brands and make things better. This is where they aim to channel their business energy in the future in what Martin Carr, the managing director of True North considers to be difficult times in the design industry.

Indeed I have found this to be a common factor throughout the companies I have visited during these economically testing times of austerity in the present.

This has been the most senior person I have met at portfolio visit and Martin warmly received me as he explained that he was interested in my change of career and he wanted to discuss this with me in person. Which is very positive to hear of course. We discussed the changes within the design and printing industries in the previous 20 years and the importance of the idea in recent years rather than the medium used to deliver them.

This was a very insightful and constructive discussion due to the changes that have evolved in technology over this time period and the environmental and cost issues that are increasingly squeezing profit margins especially within the printing industry.

This was one of the most influential reasons that a chose to pursue a career in design.

Martin is more involved in the commercial side of the business and leaves the creative side to Alan Heron whom he invited in to our discussion to peruse my portfolio. Alan joined my visit Martin asking him about his opinion on what Martin and I had discussed about change and business trends.

Alan explained that five years ago print was between 60% and 70% of True North's business. That figure he now put at an astonishing 30%, and that innovation had become an increasingly more important trend adding the creative consultancy and innovation has become ever more import.

Moving on to my portfolio it was well received by Alan for presentation and layout. He did not go into great detail as we had been in conversation for one hour by this time. He liked the variety of different disciplines, which I had involved through design, illustration and photography. However he suggested that more graphic design should be incorporated into my portfolio.

He suggested that the Orion book covers were strong and interesting but he would have liked to see them at a bigger size and more of them. This is a good point as everything looks good small, it would be much better to include the covers at a larger size this I will consider good advice.

Alan also suggested that he wasn't quite sure why I had put the two interruption posters together as in his opinion they where not a pair.

The Three's a Crowd project was applauded as a self-initiative brief but I needed to include a little less of it. This advice I have took on board as I have reduced the Three's a Crowd project and included other projects since as I have tried to get a more diverse portfolio together.

Overall this was a very positive and interesting visit that was not formal in anyway a very relaxed chatty and refreshing experience! I hope I get more like this.

On the strength of my portfolio Martin offered me a placement visit and also discussed if I would be interested in project management due to the experience I have acquired. This of course I would be interested in. Another bridge built as I begin to see the importance of these visits they are a vital link to industry. More importantly I feel although finding employment will be tough that I have began to get my face known to a few agencies which could proved extremely useful after graduation.

999 Design

In January I visited 999 Design with my portfolio. This is an agency situated in Salford just outside the city centre of Manchester. They are a design company typical of a city agency offering a wide spectrum of products to their clients for example, packaging solutions, web design, branding and communications.

I was particularly interested in the feed back I would get from this visit as I try and refine and get the best portfolio together that I can before I finally hand it in for marking. It is paramount at this stage of my studies that my portfolio has developed into a good body of work that is well received by design professionals.

Dave Sedgewick who I have met previously as I was asked by him to produce some screen prints for a project he was developing received me. This never became live, as Dave was busy with other work at that time. When I started to present my portfolio Dave stopped me and said I needed to be more precise and explanatory when discussing each project so I took the opportunity to start again and be more professional which Dave felt was a much clearer approach as it gave him confidence in my clarity of what I was trying to achieve. This is advise that I have taken on board and I now spend thirty seconds for each project explaining what each one is about which allows for much clearer communication.

We discussed my portfolio in great detail as Dave analyzed my practice with a fine toothcomb. Indeed this has proved to be the most thorough and detailed visit that I have had to date. Dave discussed the project I produced, The Con Artist, and he felt that a disc was not needed and that a link to the video (on YouTube) would have been a nice touch. He also suggested that I present a portfolio page of maybe twenty images in a storyboard style that would allow the viewer insight to the project.

Moving on to the project for the third year photography final show Dave felt that the image of a woman smoking that is obscured by a block of colour was very strong. Dave explained that he would not have positioned the typography any different himself which was positive comment. The FF din typography editorial spread was also well received, as was the Manchester Literature Festival poster. Dave did comment that he was a little tired of seeing the same generic photographs used to present the poster, however he did appreciate the

use of form.

The Three's a Crowd project that I have now developed for my final major project was very well received, as was the layout of my portfolio. Dave liked the fact that I had taken the initiative to produce my own work and suggested that if I had the time I may add for example a re branding exercise. During my placement at The Chase this became possible, as I was involved in two live branding jobs that I believe will enhance my portfolio.

One particular area of interest was the Waggamama end sting project in which I produced a flick book Dave suggested that this was a nice touch. Dave said that he was very happy to discuss with me my work and that he was picking through it because he felt it was at a high standard and wanted me to get the best out of it that I can. He suggested that I keep in touch as the design community is a small one and he is setting off on a personal adventure as a freelance designer. This I felt to be good advise as it is so important to create contacts within the design industry as a student one really needs to get out there and make oneself known. Overall this has proved to be an important visit for my confidence and knowledge of what is required to succeed!