Updating online pressence - trying to do this this on the regular!

website 

facebook 

GLUG

Glug
http://www.glugevents.com/about/

i have signed up to glug: this means i will receive regular emails about when they have meets up and events for networking in my local area (leeds and other places (london etc)

contacting Melissa walling - graphic designer works in bristol

Hey Melis! How's things going down in bristol? we have to do a module where we find out what we want to do after uni, so I thought I'd message you to ask how you did it! I'm so clueless about the real world. xx

MON 20:08

ahh i know what you mean! Like a self promo kinda thing? honestly this is whats gonna get you a job so dont really bother with 'uni marks' and how they mark it do it for yourself because like other degrees they look at your grade/essays where as ours is more first impression portfolio based so its pretty important

smile emoticon what have they asked you to 'create' we HAD to do a business card which is really worth doing especially for your end of year shows and you should deffo go to d&ad new blood in london if you havent already got a stall. I got my internship from a guy picking up a catalogue we made as a class there with a profile pic of us, a sentance about yourself in short (apparently important to get a bit of personality across too) and a picture of your work. When i went there illustrators really benefitted from like print handouts. So say you did one of your really good illustrations get them printed on really nice stock around postcard size people will pick them up keep them just as good as a business card

So you're doing illustration, a lad in my year did shit at 'selling himself' cos thats what it is really because he was an illustrator but showed bits of typography/graphic design and illustration so his illustration didnt stand out but because youve got a really unique style you should push it on everything, a lass in my year does like childlike illustrations really good, shes good at other stuff too but pushed this specific style ona business card / fold up leaflet thing with 3 different 'scenes' in a story on and a minibook and shes just got a job at a childrens illustration book company in london smile emoticon ill send you a link to her work

sorry massive essay but what you want to do basically is an illustration/couple of illustrations in the same theme really eyecatching and on good stock so someone will pick it up. also your instagram just document that youve been doing that and your facebook page that'll get you marks for 'communicating with the digital world' if you blog about it too its good

http://robynmakesthings.blogspot.co.uk/

http://cargocollective.com/robynmakesthings/If-Gods-Were-Dogs

so that helped her get a job cos she was showing the kinda style she wants to do, showed off her personality and was consistent to the style she was posting online

where as this guy; got really good marks at uni he's from barnsley so played on where he was from made the steel coppery things in his business cards himself really good project but hasnt got a job because it doesnt really represent him or the work he does / didnt grab the attention of people looking for someone http://www.ashleybeaumont.co.uk/self-promotion/

SELF PROMOTION

ashleybeaumont.co.uk

also make your CV and cover letter look like its from the same thing thats the only reason i got interviews cos "it was pretty"

https://www.behance.net/gallery/25744569/Self-Promotion-Type-Trick

Thanks so much! Haha yeah that's what they want! Like us to make connections with agencies, other illustrators/creatives but I find it so hard what type of career or company my illustrations would benefit if you get me! I've tried to contact people but no luck! And my fb page etc has got my a couple of commissions (dog drawings ) but not attracted companies etc. Yeah we have our work at D&ad at the end of year but only 8 of us get to go down so I'm praying I do enough to get there, I just need more confidence to go up to speak to people I'm literally a bumbling idiot

Are you enjoying it?!

even if your not one of the 8 to go which you probably will be still go! smile emoticon anyone can go in think you might have to pay extra maybe? I found it hard to talk to people but people kinda come into your stall look at someones work and you just say 'is there any particular kinda design your interested in' and if they say illustration you can give them yours, if someone else is at the stall they'll probs show them theres its a big cringey but seems to work. I got my hair stuck in a portable fan and a guy walked away hahaha tongue emoticon how embarassing... just leave your business cards in places like coffee shops, art gallery things, at these open day things like D&AD. dont worry about people not replying no one replied to use i think its just luck or finding people at the right time smile emoticon and apply for any illustration job ever even if you think its not your kinda style they might pass your number on or ask if they have any feedback/advice. no experience is the worst, so bullshit/make it up on your cv tongue emoticon

aye its good ta! first internship for 4 months was really good for design work did some work for champagne n oyster bar n got to go to it on the seafront but REALLY shit pay had to get a new job cos it was unliveable now working at an e-learning design company, today I downloaded pictures of puppies and kittens for a vets theory test for the staff game and I just create the 'graphics' for it, not as creative as the kind of design we did at uni but it pays much better than the little design job and nicer people that work there smile emoticon weird where you end up lol xx

you should look into getting an agent (i know that sounds daft haha) but robyn she got an agent and they got her this job

i dont know how it works you should e-mail her off her website she'll tell you say your my mate in the same boat smile emoticon infact im meeting her soon il ask her what that agent thing is about but illustrators tend to belong to agent / agencies that hook them up somewhere else really worth looking into that

youre really good anyway bex youll be reet grin emoticon

I hate not knowing 🙈 I'm just so scared I'll be back in Kendal bloody home base or something yeah I'll look into the table at D&ad actually! I'll talk to my tutor aswell about it. yeah I think I need to know what I really want because not knowing makes it so hard to sell myself. Oh fab I'll defo email her then! It's so good that your enjoying it, it's sound so much more interesting then a repetitive job! Omg laughed at loud at the fan thing I can just imagine that happening to you... Fab 😑 haha aw thanks, same to you! Was looking at your work the other day it's so professional!

aww ta! grin emoticon dont get to do much fun/creative stuff like that now but its a piece of piss haha! smile emoticon got offered graphic designer for south coast NHS (mental health not physical health) 25k so i was like fuck yeah im going for that but would have taken me 2 hours each way to get there with commuting and the people that worked there were dicks so sacked that off, aslong as you work with nice people youll be fine smile emoticon tbh i think you might have to go to london to start with which sounds scary but its not so bad down here. Theres an event in brighton thats starting in leeds you should go to called 'glug' and "network" handout business cards there ask for work experience they might offer to pay you smile emoticon haha lauren next door was obsessed with homebased when she worked there she says 'its really good banter' hahah dickhead tongue emoticon you having to do a final project/dissertation? x

That's so good! You go girl 💁🏻 haha but yeah definitely I know what you mean, there's no point doing something your not happy doing, it's not worth the money. Yeah that's what I dread haha I think just with the stigma attached like the price to live there and not knowing anyone! Oh cool I'llgoogle it! Thanks! 😀Need to get them business cards printed 🏼. Yeah had my deadline on Thursday- thank the Lord i lost the will. Came close to having a breakdown because of a formatting mistake- that's when I needed to have a good long look at myself how you finding being away from home? xx

business cards cost a fortune roby got matte finish business cards with rounded corners for her illustrations and they looked so good
grin emoticon and they were so cheap compared t ours too. haha can imagine! so stressful isnt it what was your question/title then? smile emoticon first 3/4 months was so weird because i was buzzing in a beautiful place so much going on but i was on my own, it was like going on holiday on your own bit lonely haha, but now ive got this new job had to force myself to meet people - even went on tinder to meet folk haha! but everyone seems to be in the same boat down here moved down for jobs and not knowing anyone, miss kendal alot (and my mum ha!) but now im getting to know people im happy now smile emoticon

I went to primary and secondary school with melissa, we got on really well, i think this was down to our similar interests,  we always ended up taking the exact same subjects! (creative subjects) so it is really nice to see that we have both per-sued the creative career track. she has finished uni and has done really well for herself! i haven't spoke to her in a few years so thought this was a perfect opportunity to reconnect and ask her advice on her success! 

she now works in bristol after doing an internship. 

http://www.advocate-art.com/

• definitely a table at d&ad even if i don't get to go down with uni. 
• a sentence about myself- show my personality to sell myself
• print hand-outs (postcards that can easily be picked up) on nice stock as people will use them as business card 
• push a unique style on everything. 
• be consistent in style on line and print - show consistent personality 
• make CV and cover letter look like its from the same thing ..."it was pretty"
• events- 'glug' and "network" handout business cards there ask for work experience they might offer to pay you.

submission

a3 presentation boards - a sense of print based and online presence in relation to progression statergy

an archive PDF of blog

summative evaluation

issuu based version of Presentation

issuu based version of portfolio
(no need to print it)

BLOG 
research
events
contacts
development of branding/self promotion
future plans

what have i already done 
contacted central illustration agency
ilminated the idea of a MA
realised my aim to take a year out
made a professional website

what i intend to do 
research into PGCE'S
contact more agents
make a larger network of connections
update website/ come into a regular habit of updating professional social networking site
work out a strategy/places to go to promote my practice whilst traveling.
discover companies that i would want to be represented by.

1 years time
discover an area of work i would want to go into - even if it is not necessarily illustration .
have a agent

5 years 
settled into a stable job/career
moved out of family home
potentially live in a new place
have a solid connections to the industry,with regular opportunities


what i need to remember to do 
reflect on journeys I've made, to realise how far i have come and what i have achieved
how attitudes have changed
how practice has changed
dont compare!
DEVELOP A CONFIDENCE  - it will get me through more than money


problems:
money
health issues
family problems
no success with contacts/connections
knock-backs- resulting in loss of confidence
unforeseen events
a change in heart

freelance as reliable source of income - 5-10 years.

5 statements of what i need to do between now and 2 weeks time:

• look at agencies, galleries etc i can go into with portfolio whilst traveling. 
• email more agents
• update all professional networking sites - twitter, webpage etc
• email Melissa (designer who has recently graduated but gone into job) 
• look for jobs near home to have whilst promoting myself as an illustrator. 
• think about a digital portfolio
• research into into events and opportunities i could get involved with. 
• edit business cards and re-print

11 weeks till ppp submission!

week after easter presentations

re-think - extend branding

how my portfolio fits into a certain pressence

BLOG IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR THIS MODULE

think about 
standard cv
creative cv

how to i identify opportunities related to my area of practice

reflect on professional level of how i am presented myself as a practitioner

PGCE'S?

End of year show

celebrate our work
IT IS NOT ASSESSED
so focus on my practice/briefs, not what will just look good in an exhibition

showcase the best that I've got

everyone gets a individual space

its the tutors decision of what goes in

will need a portfolio of my own for the show.
A3 portfolio.

10TH opening night - 11 12 14 15th - opened
Comes down 16th june

New blood

take students down who showcase a breadth of work
8-10 people
profession standard work

everyones work will go - just not everybody..... pressures on!
http://www.dandad.org/en/new-blood/

mid feb - AOI visit

24th - anorak visit
http://www.anorakmagazine.com/about/
working with children over easter, if i am interested in childrens books

make the most of PPE events

Illustrationroom

illustration room started following me on Instagram - i had never heard of them before so decided to google them. seeing they were a agency and represent illustrators that i think produce good quality work, i decided to submit my portfolio to them. As they have already liked my work on Instagram, i'm hoping they will be interested in representing me.

In order to stay with or come out in front of the pack, it is essential that you keep an eye on the current trends as well as try to predict for yourself what future trends may come about. How do you do this? Unless you have a crystal ball, the best way is to watch websites such as Pinterest, Tumblr and Behance which are great sources of what other artists are working on both personally and professionally. Illustrationroom.com.au is another website to draw inspiration from that features many artists and their portfolios.


Illustrationroom.com.au
For all artist submissions please email us an introductory biography and overview of your style, and attach a PDF (max 8mg) showing a selection of your favourite work.
submissions@illustrationroom.com.au 

Folioart - agency

We recommend emailing a few sample images (low-resolution JPEG files) with a link to your website, if you have one. Please use the following link to email submissions to us:

submissions@folioart.co.uk

living at home

though i love being at home, i dont want to get stuck in a rutt if i move back home. though i want to travel (and therefore need to earn money to do so!) i wil need to get a short term job to finance this at home, but i am determined that this will not be a long term solution. i dont want to feel i have done the 3 years of uni to come back and get a job i could of had without all the hard work at uni!

now i have been at uni for 3 years, i have got used to being independant and i want to carry this on ( after traveling) with a job that i enjoy ( the obvious dream).

Worrying about life after uni!

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/jul/29/six-reasons-to-stop-panicking-post-graduation-prospects

one thing i hate is the fact i worry... i always seem to focus on negatives rather than positives, so i haven't necessarily had the most optimistic outlook on life after uni. HOWEVER luckily, i stubbled across this article which has helped calm those thoughts!

1. We're still young

3. You can't discover who you want to be until you find out who you are-

Challenge yourself by experiencing something new, while you still have the chance. 

5. Your degree won't go to waste

many graduate employers seek degree-level candidates rather than those disciplined in a specific subject.

6. You're not alone

"Panicking doesn't help and is unnecessary anyway. Don't let things drift – keep calm and make a plan. Realise that you're not deciding what to do with the rest of your life, but choosing a good next step for you."

though i want to have a clear idea about what i can get into and think about doing as a career after uni, i really want to have the time to do something completely different. as i have been in education for al my life, i don't really know any different. i hope time out traveling will help me put things into perspective and i feel this will really help me understand what is important and what isn't. i need to get out of my routines bubble! 

Don’t be scared to claim JSA

There’s a lot of stigma attached to those who take job seekers allowance (JSA) but you shouldn’t be put off claiming benefits.

This welfare system was set up for people who needed support whilst looking for a job, so as long as you don’t plan to take advantage of it JSA can be a real help for graduates as a source of finance whilst looking for jobs in the first couple of months.

http://plain-creative.co.uk/
http://www.sinclair-illustration.co.uk/about-me/

things to remember when contacting proffessionals!

before you contact!

• know in your head why you are contacting them
• write down what you want to cover in the discussion 

what do you want to tell them and find out?

• you exsiste 
• advice, feedback on work, technique, working strategies?
• how and where they create there work
• what type of illustrator i am 
• what work do they see as syergetic 
• is our work simular....

what can i show them?

• A brief?
• creative cv?
• work your happy with 
• promo pack?

what you should take away from the contact

• experience - confidence in doing it more and more
• insight in to how others work 
• their contacts! - networking!
• synergetic mix
• feedback/advice 
• chance to go back and talk again

who do you know :-

why would you want to know them

remember that professionals/illustrators you contact like to answer questions

they want to pass on their experiences.

DONT ASK TOO MUCH

keep it simple

'what do you feel is your most successful work?'

'is drawing still important in the digital age?'

Networking can last for years!

• you will get people who want to change your style 
• different advice

GO WITH YOUR HEART- but opinion and advice is important but not a instruction. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

i am really touched that Adam (the man i based my Cop project on who had a heart transplant at age 9) has shared my illustrations on his social media(s). 

as he runs a successful blog himself about his heart transplant and running, he has a large following so this is great as my work will be seen by a lot more people then it would be if it was just be posting it! 

commisson

i was contacted through my facebook page by a girl who wanted a illustration of her dogs for a present. though i was so happy to be asked to do this as i have only had 1 other commission before i tried to be professional and did discuss payments (although this is obvious, i do find bringing up pricing awkward as i dont want them to think i am ripping them off- as people don;t understand this is my job - not just a hobby)
i was really humbled when she posted the picture she had had framed for her mum on Instagram- it reassured me that the money i was asking for it that she wasn't sure she could afford was acceptable.
by the client posting my work, i hope this will bring more work my way and reach people my work hasn't reached!
i did the drawing for £70 - though i probably should of charged more based on the time it took me to complete