Alex Pankhurst
To understand exactly who I am as a creative and a graphic design practitioner, I began an investigation that would determine how my interests and aims in life could be pursued in the career path I am on. Throughout level 5 of the graphic design course, there were several opportunities that would help me to understand the world of graphic design, the way in which to present my ideas and how to break into the thriving design industry. Before the end of summer 2017, I was able to begin work on my own brand identity and create meaningful and exciting designs that would be marketed to specific audiences on Instagram. Through creating this identity, I hoped that it would provide me with insight into the ways that networking and marketing can be useful ways to build a brand. I knew that social media marketing was something I enjoyed, as I could use a platform I was familiar with to promote my designs to audiences that were interested in them. I also contacted other similar brands on social media for advice on ways to market my work and bring in new audiences. One of the aims I had for the coming year was to use level 5 as a way to further understand the graphic design industry and how my own interests could be pursued through it. After contacting Simon Thorpe of CreativeRace in Leeds, I was able to arrange a meeting to gather feedback on my presentation skills and portfolio. The CreativeRace studio is based at No.1, Leeds and provides positions to over 180 employees. In preparation for the meeting with Simon I came up with several questions that would ultimately identify personal aims and ways to find work in the creative industry. When asking Simon what it was that made him want to be a designer, he explained that from a young age he enjoyed creating logos and identities of album covers. This was something I myself was able to identify with, as my portfolio
Alex Pankhurst
showed recent work for a local band's identity. He went on to say that CreativeRace was something that appealed to him after working as a freelance for a while, during the years following graduation. He explained how the sociable environment of the studio was something he enjoyed and it meant that more focus on projects could be assigned among people at the studio. When asked where he might see himself in 5 years time, he said that the industry is too unpredictable to guess. Having worked with a string of other companies, Simon said he found himself at CreativeRace after turning down a 3month contract. This showed me how the choices that you make as a designer may also impact where you base your practice. He went on to say that ideally he would like to use his experience at CreativeRace to one day build his own company. I then went on to ask about what employers look for in a person’s portfolio and the advice on ways to break into the industry. He then told me that tailoring your portfolio to an individual company is important, using your best work first as a way to grab the viewer's attention. He continued by saying that it may take several attempts to find the job you are looking for, but once you do you will likely get the experience you need to progress further in your career. Upon presenting my portfolio and my work to Simon, he said that the branding I had pursued was something I passionately enjoyed and that further attempts at it would be appealing to employers. After hearing this, I began to realise that the brand identity I had created was something that may help me to progress during level 6, as it was my most enjoyable aspect of design and something that felt personal to me. As a result of the interview with Simon, I was also offered work experience at the studio during the summer period. From here, I believe that networking at CreativeRace and finding further inspiration for my brand will benefit my practice for the near future.