Dear John,
I made myself a website, I think it still needs work but I've done what I can for now and its nice to see my work up.
http://cargocollective.com/potatofinch
Saturday, 21 November 2015
Hallmark
Dear John,
This week Hallmark offered me the opportunity to go for a two week placement due to a cancelation. I was very excited about this as it's the boost I need to remind me why I bother trying with this course and a way to provide me with some work experience that I quite desperately need. The issue is that they want me to come in this monday so I have no time to prepare anything or find out what I'll be actually doing or need. Fred really wanted me to turn it down under the idea of concern that I wouldn't be able to keep up with my work and that if I'm stressed now then I'll be doubly so after the two weeks. All of this was true and why I sent off the email with his compromise of suggesting I do two days a week for the next four weeks. However after the meeting with him and after I went home I couldn't bring myself to feel anything other than I'd made a massive mistake and that I'd given up on the one thing I'd been actually excited about for the first time in, well in probably the time it's been since I was accepted onto this course. When I came into college the day I was asked to do it, I felt like I could do anything. After talking to Fred I felt like I couldn't do anything good enough and that all the time and effort I've been putting in hasn't been worth it. it was from this great divide that I decided I had to take them up on their offer, I couldn't turn down an opportunity that I obviously cared about when I find it hard to care about most things. So I spoke to him again first over email where I overstepped my bounds in being frank and frustrated that instead of helping me like he said they would do if any of use got a similar opportunity he was just giving me the disclaimer that the course wasn't going to take any responsibility for my actions and wouldn't move around any deadlines. I honestly never expected any of that and was a little insulted that was all he would say to me when I was trying to go against his advice in the most inoffensive way I could think of and was trying to make my commitment to staying working clear. However as the student and him being high ranking here I am in no position to say any of my frustration to him. This made the couple of days I had between getting the offer and when it starts even less as I spent so much of it trying to do things the way I thought Fred would like (the being honest and trying to sit down with him to work out a time plan rather than the emails) rather than just going for what I wanted myself. To be honest I should have come directly to you but I knew you would be busy and I got this between mondays. All of this seems to have been harder than it should have been when I already didn't have a lot of time. But anyway enough of my emotions about it and more about the practicalities. I've planned my time so that every night I'll becoming straight from Hallmark to my college to do my work including saturday daytimes, I'll also be doing what work I can on Sundays. It'll be unpleasantly hard but it's what I'll have to do to be able o do both the things I want to do. Also the welcome pack they sent over has mentioned how they'll look through my portfolio, which I don't have and won't have time to pull together but I emailed them to say this and she said it won't be a problem. I'm trying to quickly make a professional website to show them instead but it's proving a little more difficult than I thought.
This week Hallmark offered me the opportunity to go for a two week placement due to a cancelation. I was very excited about this as it's the boost I need to remind me why I bother trying with this course and a way to provide me with some work experience that I quite desperately need. The issue is that they want me to come in this monday so I have no time to prepare anything or find out what I'll be actually doing or need. Fred really wanted me to turn it down under the idea of concern that I wouldn't be able to keep up with my work and that if I'm stressed now then I'll be doubly so after the two weeks. All of this was true and why I sent off the email with his compromise of suggesting I do two days a week for the next four weeks. However after the meeting with him and after I went home I couldn't bring myself to feel anything other than I'd made a massive mistake and that I'd given up on the one thing I'd been actually excited about for the first time in, well in probably the time it's been since I was accepted onto this course. When I came into college the day I was asked to do it, I felt like I could do anything. After talking to Fred I felt like I couldn't do anything good enough and that all the time and effort I've been putting in hasn't been worth it. it was from this great divide that I decided I had to take them up on their offer, I couldn't turn down an opportunity that I obviously cared about when I find it hard to care about most things. So I spoke to him again first over email where I overstepped my bounds in being frank and frustrated that instead of helping me like he said they would do if any of use got a similar opportunity he was just giving me the disclaimer that the course wasn't going to take any responsibility for my actions and wouldn't move around any deadlines. I honestly never expected any of that and was a little insulted that was all he would say to me when I was trying to go against his advice in the most inoffensive way I could think of and was trying to make my commitment to staying working clear. However as the student and him being high ranking here I am in no position to say any of my frustration to him. This made the couple of days I had between getting the offer and when it starts even less as I spent so much of it trying to do things the way I thought Fred would like (the being honest and trying to sit down with him to work out a time plan rather than the emails) rather than just going for what I wanted myself. To be honest I should have come directly to you but I knew you would be busy and I got this between mondays. All of this seems to have been harder than it should have been when I already didn't have a lot of time. But anyway enough of my emotions about it and more about the practicalities. I've planned my time so that every night I'll becoming straight from Hallmark to my college to do my work including saturday daytimes, I'll also be doing what work I can on Sundays. It'll be unpleasantly hard but it's what I'll have to do to be able o do both the things I want to do. Also the welcome pack they sent over has mentioned how they'll look through my portfolio, which I don't have and won't have time to pull together but I emailed them to say this and she said it won't be a problem. I'm trying to quickly make a professional website to show them instead but it's proving a little more difficult than I thought.
Quick post thought bubble post
Dear John,
I only sold one print at thought bubble and it was after lowering the price to £2.50 from £5. I'm not sure if it was the right decision to lower it as the person that bought it was the same person who liked it the day before and may have bought it for the full price or it could have been what swayed him over. I think Barbarella may have been a little to obscure for thought bubble as while it is a cult hit type film a lot of people around my age range don't really know it. Rowena who had my print on my table said that it was the adults that would stop to look at it rather than the younger ones. I think if I were to get a table next year I would have to make more easily accessible fan art. That being said I think I would still like to have half of my own work there as I don't love making fan art but it is the type that sells there.
I only sold one print at thought bubble and it was after lowering the price to £2.50 from £5. I'm not sure if it was the right decision to lower it as the person that bought it was the same person who liked it the day before and may have bought it for the full price or it could have been what swayed him over. I think Barbarella may have been a little to obscure for thought bubble as while it is a cult hit type film a lot of people around my age range don't really know it. Rowena who had my print on my table said that it was the adults that would stop to look at it rather than the younger ones. I think if I were to get a table next year I would have to make more easily accessible fan art. That being said I think I would still like to have half of my own work there as I don't love making fan art but it is the type that sells there.
Saturday, 14 November 2015
Thought Bubble
Dear John,
It was the first day of Thought Bubble today. I had to meet my friends who actually have tables this morning to hand over my prints. When I got there this morning they hadn't left the house yet. It turned out that one of them was having some stress/illness problems so as I had nothing to stress over I helped them set up their tables and got in everywhere without a wristband. It really reminded me of my childhood where we'd sell chutney at craft fairs, so I was really comfortable and was just able to be there for them to help where I could. I left when it started to get busy (before my lack of wristband was noticed) but I'm really glad that I was able to have been some help and I think I'd really like to get a table next year. I didn't want to leave them this morning.
It was the first day of Thought Bubble today. I had to meet my friends who actually have tables this morning to hand over my prints. When I got there this morning they hadn't left the house yet. It turned out that one of them was having some stress/illness problems so as I had nothing to stress over I helped them set up their tables and got in everywhere without a wristband. It really reminded me of my childhood where we'd sell chutney at craft fairs, so I was really comfortable and was just able to be there for them to help where I could. I left when it started to get busy (before my lack of wristband was noticed) but I'm really glad that I was able to have been some help and I think I'd really like to get a table next year. I didn't want to leave them this morning.
Thought Bubble Prep
Dear John,
I've focussed on cop so much lately and got so stressed about it that I've hardly prepared for thought bubble. I was going to print out my business cards this week but I scheduled to do it straight after my dissertation tutorial, which was a mistake. They never got printed. I did however find one that I could a least put next to my prints to say that they're mine and I found my potatofinch stickers. So I used those on the bags to reinforce that they're mine. Another thing that I didn't manage to prepare was packaging for my prints. However as everyone is lovely I was told about how the works sells A5 cellophane bags which really worked and helped to make my prints look more professional. I had however found a little easel that could hold my prints but I'm not sure if I'll be able too use it as its not my table.
I've focussed on cop so much lately and got so stressed about it that I've hardly prepared for thought bubble. I was going to print out my business cards this week but I scheduled to do it straight after my dissertation tutorial, which was a mistake. They never got printed. I did however find one that I could a least put next to my prints to say that they're mine and I found my potatofinch stickers. So I used those on the bags to reinforce that they're mine. Another thing that I didn't manage to prepare was packaging for my prints. However as everyone is lovely I was told about how the works sells A5 cellophane bags which really worked and helped to make my prints look more professional. I had however found a little easel that could hold my prints but I'm not sure if I'll be able too use it as its not my table.
Victo Ngai
Dear John,
The Victo Ngai talk was really good so I tried applying somethings that she does to her work (and things I'd like to explore myself) to mine. for a while now I've been thinking that I need to explore texture and that my black lines are too harsh for al of the illustration but even after playing with it I'm not really sure what I'm doing. I think I need the contrast to be stronger because I just went from it being really harsh to being really soft. I think I should play with texture too as I think it adds a bit of depth. However I think its going to take a bit of work before it looks decent.
Notes from the talk:
...Make the most of your limitations - use the space you have effectively
...How to pick the right moment in the story - how to plan the right composition
...Capture the concept of the story and foreshadow the ending without giving it away
...Use the cropped space to reinforce the idea of size
...Size of the character/object reflecting the emotion or their role in the story
...Fit the structure of the story
...More money for a job tends to mean less freedom -big corps. are less artistic and give more instructions - less appreciation than from an art director
...They can demand all sorts of things like how all the men have to wear long sleeves
...Advertisement will buy the rights to your drawing for a certain amount of time (3 months etc.) and they can use it on everything
...When given something vague, make your own narrative
...The way you grew up may be visible in your work, Victo Ngai said that she draws busy scenes because she grow up in Hong Kong
...Make textures
...As long as its consistent within your drawing its fine not to be literal
...A good illustration (balance structures) should work in black and white as well as in colour
...higher contrast lines for closer and fading ones for background
..."obstacles are for eliminating the ones who don't want it enough"
Ls6
Dear John,
On tuesday night I was walking home with Hollie and Rowena and we stopped in Ls6 the bar/cafe to pick up Becky and Adam. When we got there they were doing an event where they were drawing people who would sit opposite them. So obviously we joined in for a little bit, it was really fun and a really good way to chat to lots of different people. I think this would be a really enjoyable way for us to promote ourselves. Tom has already emailed them to tell them that we'd like to do it again.
Saturday, 7 November 2015
Travelling man exhibition
Dear John,
Last friday I went down to travelling man with Joe and tom to hang all the prints up for exhibition. It was pretty fun and easy (nobody died or broke anything woo!). We tried to put work together based on how light or dark the colours were so nobodies work would get drowned out. I think we did this pretty well and I'm happy to see everyone's work looking good and professional. I posted the top picture to my social media and I've had some people share it it (without me asking them to) so I'm pretty happy with the promotion side so far (as it's only a little show it doesn't need much). However to reinforce it I'm going to post my poster up on monday and remind everyone that the exhibition up as that's its official launch date.
You told us some good information and here's some notes
Dear John,
here's some notes from the good info you gave us:
here's some notes from the good info you gave us:
- Always break down my invoice in case they ask for it later
- £50 an hour
- Look at the client brief
- Clarify the brief with the client so you're on the same page
- Evaluation and estimation
- Add on any costs of necessary purchases - memory sticks etc.
- Itemise and estimate all content needed and the timing - tell them what they're paying for
- Double check everything before you start
- Agree over email as it's date stamped
- Call them by their first name
- "Can't wait to get started" seem enthusiastic
- "Minus any unforeseen details" these things do happen and need to be talked about briefly
- Put your time frame into words they understand - make sure you give ourself enough time as you may be working on something else already
- Project terms
- Don't accept checks
- Use official purchase numbers
- Don't ever send invoices to the client if they have an accounts department
- Make a Linkedin -don't say student say what you are!
To do now:
Choose someone and get in contact with them. Who? What to ask? and write 250 words about it.
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