Studio Brief 02 | Creative Presence | Interviewing Professionals - Daniel Moloney, Director of Digital Light Ltd

1) Describe your creative process?
Dissect the brief and try to work out want the client wants and what the deliverables are e.g. images, gifs, short video etc.
Brainstorm with the team, and then discuss ideas back with the client.
Get our hands on the raw footage and then get creative…..

2) How do you get unstuck creatively?
Brainstorm with the team, we’re all team players at Digital Light.

3) What project are you currently working on?

• Chanel
• Fendi
• Jack Daniels
• Lexus
• Marie Claire
• Nike
• Paco Rabanne
• Sephora
• Shu Uemura
• Speedo
• Town & Country
• Vitabiotics
• Vogue China
• Wella
• Westfield

4) How much of the concepting or strategy phase have you been involved in in previous roles?
We don't get involved with the concept strategy phase.

5) Tell me about a time when a client didn't like your work. And how did you resolve this situation?
We tend to work with rounds of comments on jobs, usually its 3 rounds to a job.
We supply everything round 1 and then get feedback.
If a client doesn’t like the work, we take on board their comments and change it for round 2.

6) How do you stay organised when you are provided with multiple design assets, files, and ideas?
We use a very strict folder protocol for jobs.
Every part of a job should be organised so that another person can pick up a job that’s in progress.
Although to be honest they are always briefed over.
We also use a planning system for job allocation as we can regularly have over 10 jobs in at any one time.

7) What questions do you ask before you begin any design project? What information is most important?

• Comprehensive brief.
• Schedule.
• Budget, including details of usage e.g. POS material, bus side and online campaign etc…

8) Tell me about a time when you had to balance multiple competing priorities?
Pick a day, any day….We’re nearly always balancing client demands, that’s why the deadlines are so important.
Spreading manpower to the correct jobs at the correct time is key.

9) Tell me about a project you've completed that has made you the most proud?
For bragging rights I worked on a project for the Queen with Rankin.

10) What rules, culture, or structure needs to exist to foster team collaboration?
We have a pretty relaxed office atmosphere which helps creativity, but everyone still works really hard.
Its important for us to help each other out and to clear the workload as a team effort.
Its my job to ensure by always talking about us as a “team", that we really work as a team.
Regular group meeting certainly help foster the team spirit.
Our productivity and creativity would be far less without a team ethos.

11) What’s your greatest weakness?
Probably the hardest thing to do is keep up with a changing marketplace.
To stay competitive as a company you have to be constantly adapting and diverging.
I personally find it hardest to predict where the advertising market place is going.
A good example is VR, will it be the next big thing or a passing fad.

12) Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
After A levels I went to Art college and then onto University where I got a BA in professional communication.
I then worked for a few post production houses before starting my own in 2005.
A few years ago we acquired our own office in King’s Cross where we are still expanding.
I have a wife and two kids and enjoy travelling, cinema, photography, art, music, motorsport, architecture and my dog.

13) What are your strengths?
I like to think I’m a talented creative who’s passionate about art, hardworking, and a good manager/director.

14) What kind of design software are you familiar with?
Our team mainly use the Adobe Suite, 3Ds Max, Davinci Resolve and Nuke.

15) What is your graphic design process?
We don’t really do graphic design, although we quite often place the graphic design elements over ads.
We do however quite often design the images themselves.
Its difficult to describe the design process, but I suppose its a case of using standard design rules, our creative eye mixed with a bit of trial and error and having the odd "happy accident".

16) What have you learned from your mistakes?
The most important thing to do from mistakes is firstly identify them and then learn from them for the future.

17) What can you tell me about your company/brand?
Based in London, we are a creative post production team trusted by the worlds leading brands.
We’ve come a long way in the last 10 years expanding into all key areas of post production. Our ethos has remained unchanged - use our passion and creativity combined with our expertise to produce inspiring visual content.
We apply the same principles of refinement and artistry to everything we touch, and are now award wining in both stills and film.

18) What have you done to improve your knowledge of graphic design?

I’ve worked with some of the most talented people in the world, from fashion designers to art directors, and photographers to film directors and I’d like to think some of that creativity and knowledge has rubbed off on me.

19) What kinds of print media have you worked with?
We’ve supplied imagery to be used for everything from magazines, billboards, CD’s, websites, packaging, TV, film, stamps, and we’ve even supplied images to be wrapped around 5 storey buildings.

20) Can you tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure and how you overcame it?
In the advertising industry you’re always up against tight deadlines, so its important to remain collected and perform under pressure.
Lots of good coffee does help.

21) What qualities do you consider necessary for a good designer?
Creative, talented, enthusiastic, hard working, team player.

22) What kind of design projects interest you?
I really enjoy album covers, as the images have to stand the test of time.

23) How good are you about sticking to your deadlines?
When clients have booked £150K of advertising its a good idea to deliver on time, so basically we always stick to deadlines….

24) How long does it take for you to deliver the final product?
It ranges from a day to around 6 months, it just depends on the client and the project.

25) How do you think others see your work/company?

I hope they see us as a high quality post production house that’s produces highly creative work.

26) Would you consider yourself a team player?
Absolutely.

27) How do you handle criticism?
Its probably best to be thick skinned, take the criticism on board and try to make things better next time.
You can always learn something new from your last job.

28) Can you suggest some interviews or articles that inspired you for you career choice?
I’ve always been interested in art from a young age, my father was an architect and my mother enjoyed pottery and sculpture in her spare time.
I actually started my career through art college after enjoying the photography module, and at this stage I was influenced by photographers like Nick Knight and Robert Mapplethorpe.
Once I had my degree I decided to take a job with a post production house, to learn what happened after the photos were taken, but I always thought I’d go back to photography.
Funnily enough I had an offer to assist a photographer who worked with Hello magazine the week I started with Lifeboat Matey, who were are the time the leading Post Production house in London.
I guess things could have been very different for me had I taken the photography job, but I don’t regret my choice.

29) Which graphic designers / studios influenced your type of work?
I try not to be influenced by other studios, I think its better to be influenced by your clients and their references which can be as diverse as DVD’s, old masters, or a certain photographer/director.
I think projects always work best when they merge more than one reference into something new.

30) Could you possibly tell me a motto or a quote you follow by? Some kind of phrase that helps motivates your work and what you do?

I quite like the following motto: 'You are only limited by your own imagination’

Studio Brief 02 - Collaborative Practice Brief | Fur for Animals Brief | Submission/Evaluation

Submission Evidence

Evaluation

In conclusion, I believe us as a collaborative group worked together very well. We all played our roles in the group and used your individual strengths to elaborate your final pieces for the brief. In our group we did some research on current 'Fur for Animal' posters, the posters that we continuously pop up in google images were very bloody and sinister images of fur coats leaving a blood trail symbolising murder of innocent animals fur getting taken due to fashion. This was the same results we found on existing adverts, a runway of models walking down and when she turns round with her fur coat, blood splashes the audience. 

As a group we thought this approach was over used, so our tutor John suggested we should go for another way of getting to the audience. He gave our group a good example why the current way that presenting current poster these days do not effect the way the audience perceive things. The example was, when people smoke on cigarettes packets there are some very graphical images on what smoking can do to people who consume it. The most revolving graphical images of the cigarettes packets are cancer. Despite of this gruesome imagery of cancer on the packaging, people still dismiss it and carry on. This is why the tutor indicated if we followed this similar route we will not get much of a power impact message the we desire. 

Therefore, in our group we decide not to go for a graphical yet gruesome approach like the current posters. Instead we decide as a group the best way of delivering this kind of message would be best through a cute/innocent and mostly emotional concept. By targeting the emotional side of killing an animal we believe is more effective. So by concluding our concept we starting commencing what will we needed to be produce for this particular brief. 

The brief, deliverables were to create an interactive online inter user face, that persuade the online audience to stop buying real fur. We created a plan for this and listed the following outcomes we would like to produce: 

• Interactive/advert 30 seconds 
• Posters 
• Social media platform pages - Facebook, Youtube advert, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat Stories 

In our group we successfully produce some really good images of models with a real rabbit. We were fortunate enough that one of our team members owned a pet rabbit. By using this and again one of our members did photography in A-levels we were able to combine these things to create good posters. These particular posters were taken well as we were able to capture our concept of cute/innocent and emotional. 

When it came to record the advert video we had not only technical problems but also physical problems. As we were working with a real animal to produce our final pieces. It was challenging to get these scenes done quickly. We needed to make sure the rabbit would not be scared for frighten in any way. We had to be very careful as we did not want the rabbit to be harmed in anyway and the equipment around him. During the filming we had many trials and errors that we had to challenge yet resolves between ourselves. Especially the video as our storyboard told about a model working down the street, due to the rabbit we could not film this scene outside as the rabbit could potentially runaway. So we decide to project the streets with a projector in the photography studio. This will allows the rabbit to be in a safe area and away from danger. We made sure we recorded many takes of the same scenes just in case the first ones were not well recorded. Once that was done, we choose the best ones put them together. We created the first video and showed it to the tutor for feedback, he said some scenes which were recorded were unnecessary and repeated the same. The other scene we had to takeaway was the rose petals representing blood in a more gentle way. In the scene by itself it did not make any sense. 

But in the end we were finally able to edit it, crop the video as it was too long and the final advert was produce. The advert was called, 'Trend or Friend?'. Because of this title we were able to come up with an appropriate slogan for the posters. As the other slogans came up with miscommunicated the poster message and some did not make sense. 

Despite this problem we were able to overcome this and produce a well good structure of work to deliverer for the brief. The Social media platforms that we produce were mockups of images as we thought it was better/easier presented this way. 

Overall, as a collaborative group I believe we successfully produce really good work for the brief and worked very well together. 

Studio Brief 03 | Design Strategy Presentation Brief

Studio Brief 03 - Design Strategy Presentation
Life’s A Pitch

An important part of your professional growth is to develop an ability to work collaboratively and productively with others. Working in small mixed groups drawn from a number of LCA creative degree programme’s you will develop fully and pitch a professional proposal for a public facing venture to best showcase and promote the individual works of the collective . This could take the form of ( but certainly is not limited to) an exhibition, publication or online presence , or perhaps a combination of these. Through research and planning you will explore the basics of how to identify an appropriate venue, audience and market, structure your team to optimize your individual and group skills and knowledge, investigate the legal and financial obligations of developing and launching a creative initiative, seek appropriate professional support & advice, plan and control finances and effectively promote, brand and communicate your presence to external parties and partners.

Your team will pitch a fully developed proposal describing and visualising the showcase with appropriate visual aids.

Your individual presentation should be based on the analysis and content that you have been introduced to throughout the module and your experience of working in a collaborative partnership.

Background / Considerations

• Six heads are better than one as long as they communicate. You will now have the luxury of six pairs of hands. How will you use them effectively? You will need to consider the following:
• What skills and services do you have to offer individually and as a group?
• Who is your target market?
• What form will your showcase take?
• What are your costs, charges and financial considerations?
• How will you structure your collective?
• Who will be responsible for what?
• How will you promote your showcase? To who? Using what media?
• Is it set in a physical location ? then where?
• How will you manage communication through the group?

You must make reference to the module resources materials, books and web sites to demonstrate your understanding of basic marketing and business principles.

Mandatory Requirements

Responses to this brief should be recorded on your PPP Blog and should be labeled with the module code and appropriate 'Studio Brief Number'.

Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that all work for this brief has been presented and labelled in line with these guidlines by the submission deadline. Work that is incorrectly labelled, posted to the wrong blog or is in anyway unclear or inaccessable will not be assessed

You should ensure that any material, discussions and reflections generated during taught sessions, workshop and group critiques are evidenced for assessment.

Deliverables

TA 10 minute Powerpoint/pdf or similar presentation

Appropriate visual aids and printed material to support your presentation.

Evidence of the research and development of your presentation and visual material should be posted to your PPP blog and labelled with the module code. You should also post pdf versons of your presentation, notes and handouts to your PPP blog.

Studio Brief 01 | A Creative Strategy | Individual Presentation - 2nd Year Journey

2nd Year Presentation - Challenges and improvement from 1st Year
During this presentation we all individually had to talk about our challenges and how we resolved them 1st to 2nd year. I firstly greeted everyone in the room and started talking about the beginning of first year moving on to second. I discussed how in 1st year I was scared to go out of my comfort zone and that I always stayed in the safe line of passing the module. This is demonstrated on the second slide of simples ways of binding e.g. rubber bands and so on.

Then in 2nd year I decide to be a bit more adventurous and push myself out of the safe area. As my editorial skills are not as strong to my other strengths I tried to do a coptic band with a wooden hard cover, this was for the first module brief. Next the design for screen was more interesting for me as I was able to make some small short stop motion animation for an app design. The app design was called 'Swoop' this app function was to help passengers either arriving on their plane or organising what they would like to watch, eat, play etc before they board their connecting flight. 

The next slide that says 'Uh oh' is to represent my struggle during the course. In the beginning of the christmas holidays I broke my ankle. Which meant I was unable to come into University to work on my other brief, not only that losing opportunities of professional/studio visits. Even though these were challenges and problems I still worked hard at home working on the briefs that I can work on. This included the responsive briefs or live briefs. These were the penguin book cover competition, the D&AD Collaboration brief fur for animals and D&AD brief Hasbro game board brief. 

I explored more into game product design and worked on a 3D printer to print out of the parts and pieces for the game board. This maybe an area that I would like to explore in more deeper during 3rd year projects.

Then for Personal and Professional Practice 2. We had to contact some studios or companies that worked within the art/graphic design industry and interview them. I received 3 interviews from one advertising firm, Graphic design studio and an Illustrator. I put some of the interview onto the slide and some memorable quotes that they followed by which helps them to get inspired more. 

Studio Brief 02 - Collaborative Practice Brief | Fur for Animals Brief | Final Video

Final Video of the advert 'Trends or Friends'

During the day of shooting the 'Furry trends or furry friends' advert for the 'Fur for Animals Brief'. As a group we decided to go with our idea of using the projector in the Photography studio to create the surrounding environment. We did this as we thought of filming the advert in actual outside environment the rabbit would escape or runaway. 

By putting the rabbit in the studio we had more control of were the rabbit will go, in addition with a quiet environment the rabbit will be more calm. There were only slight hazards like the rabbit excreting or urinating within the studio and biting the wires. 

Luckily, we had a plan to keep these things under control. I brought his case with a toilet area so he would do his business in there. We also had some wipes and paper towels to clean any other mess which was around the studio. We kept all doors securely shut as we did not want the rabbit to escape the studio. Each member of the team took turns keeping an eye on the rabbit. In addition, I have also brought some salad for the rabbit to eat when we needed him to keep still for certain shots/scenes.

To commence with the advert, we decide we would follow the storyboard we previously made as a good guide line to make each scene. 

The first scene consisted on mostly the model, pretending to be walking down the street night of London with her 100% real fur coat. The scene then transitions to the model, uploading an picture on Instagram of showing off her we fur coat. Then she is imaging that she is being surrounding by a paparazzi as she believes this makes her popular and in her element to shine. 

Whilst this is happening, the wind blows towards her she grabs the poster (poster that we have created). And has a good look at what it says. When she takes the poster away, the rabbit on the poster becomes to life and is right in front of her. 

She picks up the rabbit and feels a connection with the animal. She then turns around, as discovers where she has walked is a trial of rose petals (representing blood) of how having this piece of clothing kills innocent animals. By this she is sympathising with the rabbit, whilst she is doing this - the wind picks up again and the fur coat she has on blows away. With this happening the street of London disappears and a new projection of fairy lights switches. This is transporting the rabbit and the model to a more magical yet calming atmosphere - here they create a friendship and happiness. She then imitates the same position of the poster and thats were the advert ends. 

For these scenes, we did multiple takes so we could chose the best one. In addition some scenes where more difficult to film as the rabbit would not coordinate well with what we wanted him to do. He was also quite scared and frightened with the new environment, so we waited for a while to get use to the new environment he was in. 

Once these scenes where done, Katie went to see which scene were the best to put in our advert. When this was done, She sent Bobonut the files and she put them together. She finished putting them together, and sent me and Katie it. We gave her little bits to alter and adjust. Once we were happy with it, we decide to show it to some of the tutors and asked for their opinion on the video. One tutor said that there were unnecessary scene which repeated themselves and some we could get rid off. For example, the rose petals were not obvious enough to deliver the message of it being a replacement of blood. In addition, the video was too long it was a minute and a few seconds long. The tutors advised us that we should make the advert at least 30 seconds long.

So once we got feedback, we yet again changed. Editing the duration of the film and cutting clips which were not needed for the advert. 

In the end we finally created the final video of the 'Furry Trends or Furry Friends' 30 second advert. We added the appropriate music and effects to the video to make this advert more appealing with the message we are trying to deliver. 

Below is the link to the final video:

Studio Brief 02 | Creative Presence | Interviewing Professionals - James Taylor, toughlittlegraphics

1) Describe your creative process?
Tell me what you want. I'll make the magic happen.


2) How do you get unstuck creatively?
Your either creative or your not. If you've been charged with a brief you execute it, the most rewarding part of problem solving is finding a creative solution.


3) What project are you currently working on?
NDAs prevent me from name dropping, however;


• Designing a booking engine for an award winning Scottish Hotel.
• Film project in Greek islands for a top 100 fastest growing UK company.
• Direct post production for a contraceptive company in India.
• Create a new brand identity for a council.
• Branding for a Monaco based couture firm.


4) How much of the concepting or strategy phase have you been involved in in previous roles?
Everything and nothing. 25 years see's you in roles from hero to zero and still making the tea in between.


5) Tell me about a time when a client didn't like your work. And how did you resolve this situation?
Most clients are reasonably pragmatic people, they have worked hard to be the decision makers. If everyone does their job then client resistance can be minimised through communication, i.e., tell me why you don't like it and don't sugar coat it. The worst client is the one who doesn't know what they want until they see it, never undertake any commission from these clients unless they understand they'll pay for your time even if they don't like the results. It really does help everyone and it weeds out the time wasters.


If you don't have direct access to the client then you are buffered by an account handler or third party so a lot of faith is placed in their hands to deliver your vision. It's worth remembering that if a project is being steered away from your initial brief that it won't be the only project you'll ever work on ever, ever, ever so persist and ask questions… shoot the injured and win the war.


6) How do you stay organised when you are provided with multiple design assets, files, and ideas?
Creative people are renowned for being untidy and if that's your thing then who gives a toss as long as your awesome at your job, however, If those same files are shared with others then you have to respect the structure and keep it tidy. No one likes stepping in dog shit even if it's there dog so bag it up and see the bigger picture. If I'm provided with ideas it must be part of the brief, so assess their weight and be honest if they lend insight.


7) What questions do you ask before you begin any design project? What information is most important?
Expectation, time, cost. If it fits we'll do it. If it doesn't then you'll know by the time we've finished our coffee but thank you for the opportunity. If we're commissioned then ask what is it you want to say and who is it you want to say it to?


8) Tell me about a time when you had to balance multiple competing priorities?
The birth of my daughter coincided with the launch of a multi million pound clothing chain two years ago. My daughter and only child was two weeks late and arrived two days before the launch and my wife had a difficult birth and had to stay in hospital for a week.


As incredible as it sounds the client couriered a hard drive of assets for me to review at the hospital. And whilst my wife and daughter slept through the night I was right by there side with my MacBook Pro reviewing the work. To a third party this must sound utterly devoid of love or emotion to my family but sound bites are easy. This is what being the boss means, I had delegated what I could and worked hard to win this business in the months before. If I did not deliver it would have made my family's life more challenging at the very time they needed stability and I was the sole provider at this point. Our closest family member lives 440 miles away and while they did travel down almost straight after the birth they did not arrive for two days later. I completed the job, ordered a courier to return the drive and stayed with my family every second. Two days after that we all left hospital and I drove us home to meet a proud gran and aunt. 1 hour after that I was on a train to meet my client and collect the next round of creative. Big business doesn't stop, it’s not that it doesn’t care it’s just that the owner of that new business also had people relying on him, people like me. I've since taken many days off with my family and continue to provide, the only guilt I feel is not being able to do more.


This is far from the worst example I can give but it is important to state it is not typical. If I have 10 live projects then I tend to dispatch the ones that are easiest first and reward the demanding ones with my time.


9) Tell me about a project you've completed that has made you the most proud?
The greatest sense of accomplishment I felt was in the first year of my career. The work was far from award winning but it was mine. As your confidence grows and the more projects you produce you gradually loose the sensation of pride as it becomes normalised. It's important to state that you still care, you just become better at what you do.


It returns when you bail someone out the shit or if you do a good deed relevant to your skill set. The surprise return of that feeling can be payment itself.


10) What rules, culture, or structure needs to exist to foster team collaboration?
Be patient, constructive and accountable. Your not there to be liked, your not mates, your not BFF. But you don't have to be a prick either. Encourage debate and tell someone if they did a good job, you’ll be respected for it.


Don't patronise people, I've been patronised many times earlier in my early career and haven't forgotten how crushing it can be for simply not having experience or expressed an opinion. Nobody is born to the world with advanced industry knowledge, it is all learned through success and failures, particularly failure.


11) What’s your greatest weakness?
Sugar.
Questionnaires.


12) Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I love my work, I am incredibly lucky to have seen the changes I have witnessed in my industry and have been given and seized every opportunity. I was trained as an airbrush artist and then made the transition to digital as the industry adopted this latest technology and witnessed the demise of film processing, polaroid, ruby and manual page make up to be eventually replaced by pocket devices many times more powerful than the technology that put man on the moon. I recall how memorised I was by watching my then boss use the clone tool in Barco Creator in the early 90’s and when Photoshop introduced layers in version 3 and I don’t mean CS3. These were game changing moments never to be forgotten and will be difficult to convey years from now to my own daughter should she wish a career in the same industry.


During my time at Silicon Graphics in Ghent I saw the making of a film called ‘The Rock’ on an application called AliasWavefront (later to become Maya) where the closing scene involved 3D rendering fighter jets. I purchased the 3D application Raydream Designer for Mac on my immediate return and sent my colleagues minds into meltdown as I rotated a primitive can on screen, it was no F-15 fighter but the effect was the same. I only mention this because I may appear to be old to you but am only 43, the relevance of my experience now is measured not in the relics of old software or technology but the pace of change and the expectation that you will evolve with it. Your opportunities will not be the same as mine but will still be opportunities, I have met some of the most incredible people;


Jim Dempster - GCBP college lecturer.
Johnny Boyd - endorsed me to be trained in Belgium by Barco / Silicon Graphics at 19.
Pete Smith - put me in charge of the London office at 22.
Giancarlo Romano - my first client who still commissions me today.
Sally Elms - gave me my first commission at Tough Little Graphic despite huge opposition and internal politics.
John Baldwin - supported my business and offered industry insight.
Emmanuel Eribo - most amazing client I've met and moral compass.
Paul McManus - strategic thinker and visionary.


These people have been in positions of power and authority and taken a gamble that I would deliver. The opportunities afforded to me have allowed me to travel, be generous and support others. There are few people I would aspire to work for as an 'employee' but Paul McManus is one.


13) What are your strengths?
Accountability.
Adaptable.
Loyalty.
Respect.


When I founded Tough Little Graphic over 14 years ago I cold called the Composing Room. Founded in 1960 their then junior, a man called John Baldwin, worked his way up to be the owner of that business in later years. In short John understood what I was trying to achieve and I shared an office with them for over seven years mutually sharing clients and knowledge freely. I saw the long and arduous hours his team endured achieving great results for their clients and at times working for free to help people advance. John sadly died of cancer during this time and died in 2009. I place flowers by his grave every 6 months since his death and remember the amazing kindness gifted to me by John and the Composing Room in those fledgling years. John truly did meet thousands of people and had a cast iron reputation but as one of less than probably five people who visit his graveside helps keeps me grounded and reflect as well as motivate me.


14) What kind of design software are you familiar with?
2D, 3D, web, Adobe suite, Cinema 4D, Suitcase, Maya, Freeway and any offerings required to complete the project.


15) What is your graphic design process?
Conceptualise > sketch > collate > reflect if the deadline allows > refine > research > refine > deliver > refine > deliver


16) What have you learned from your mistakes as a graphic designer?
Keep everything you do whether the client likes it or not.


17) What can you tell me about your company/brand?
London based Tough Little Graphic delivers design and visualisation for image driven brands and Governments across existing and emerging platforms using specialist consultants.


18) What have you done to improve your knowledge of graphic design?
Work with better people.


Stepped away from the industry, relaxed and allowed the most inconceivable ideas to deviate into something tenable or not. Smell something different. Scare yourself. Challenge yourself in life, it will expose you to a different way of doing.


19) What kinds of print media have you worked with?
Everything from poster design, business cards, DL leaflets, coffee table books, print and newspaper advertising, plastics, stencils, 3D, exhibition stands, 3M match print, GMG proofing. Print is print, film is beautiful.


20) Can you tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure and how you overcame it?
Everyday. Pressure comes in all forms but rather than go into specifics I’d sooner proffer the advice not to take criticism personally, eat well and take time for you, even if it’s just an extra minute in the shower. You'll deal with pressure better this way. The longest I've worked was 58 hours with no sleep when I founded my first business, my sister used to bring me fresh clothes to work the next day. The pressure stopped when the project finished. My family supported me in all manor of ways, more than financial.


It’s important at this junction to note that pressure for a salaried person is the same as pressure for a consultant or freelancer. The salaried person still has to deliver where as the consultant can chose to exit the project but then seek further employment which is also a form pressure.


21) What qualities do you consider necessary for a good designer?
You've got to love it. That's it. Nothing else matters.


22) What kind of design projects interest you?
Technically challenging ones, you always have to push yourself. My father was an engineer and in later life I've been more reflective on industrial design and manufacturer. I particularly respect the way Swiss watch manufacturers produce an exacting narrative that surrounds the product. The projects that I find vacuous are based around social media due to the lack of longevity.


23) How good are you about sticking to your deadlines?
Awesome. How do you like being paid? Get the job done, get paid, move on to the new. Deadlines deliver focus and are imposed before the project starts, if you see them wain then you need to delegate or find the resource or talent to make the project happen. Not meeting your deadlines reflects on your professional reputation which should be motivation itself.


24) How long does it take for you to deliver the final product?
That depends on the client, there’s the version that your happy with and then there’s the vision the client had, hopefully the two meet, if they don't then a dialogue based around the objective and the possibility of starting afresh can frustrate expectations. Deadlines are generally imposed by clients who want to achieve an objective and need your help to do it, otherwise they would do it themselves.


25) How do you think others see your work/company?
How do you see the work and what are your thoughts? You would hope positive, maybe not?


People always draw comparisons, I recall a designer placing four logo options on their LinkedIn feed and asking which one people preferred. The diatribe was overwhelming, it confirms that you should only deliver what you were briefed and if your hearts not in it don't play to the crowd. Put your best foot forward. Not everything you create will go in your portfolio so remember to deliver what the client wants and not fret with regards to the size or prestige of a project.


26) Would you consider yourself a team player?
You have to be. The team extends beyond your office and clients, it goes to the heart of success from the cleaner to the CEO to my wife and family. Everything is connected.


27) How do you handle criticism?
Badly in the first 5 years of my career though times were very different culturally, there was a lot of testosterone and little diversity. It also depends who's criticising and the criticism levied. If it's a client then you have my undivided attention, if it's genuinely helpful then I love to hear it, if it's bluster then I'd sooner shut it down fairly quickly especially if there is little insight to be gained.


28) Can you suggest some interviews or articles that inspired you for you career choice?
No, I always had a flare for art and found a way to use it commercially. This is extremely powerful and moving;
Steve Jobs addressing Stanford University;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_ptbiPoXM


29) Which graphic designers / studios influenced your type of work?
I have a huge respect for bygone artists who's work I find captivating, innocent and charming in contrast to the tech fest today. I envy their skill and ability to deliver a beautifully crafted moment uninterrupted and devoid of the need to tweet or draw attention to their work. I don’t envisage a scenario where I or Tough Little Graphic will achieve this legacy but am not upset as my journey has been reward enough…. though the money also helps;
Brian Cook
Norman Williamson
Claude Buckle
Alan Durman


Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address (with intro by President John Hennes1) Describe your creative process?

1) Describe your creative process?
Tell me what you want. I'll make the magic happen.

2) How do you get unstuck creatively?
Your either creative or your not. If you've been charged with a brief you execute it, the most rewarding part of problem solving is finding a creative solution.

3) What project are you currently working on?
NDAs prevent me from name dropping, however;
• Designing a booking engine for an award winning Scottish Hotel.
• Film project in Greek islands for a top 100 fastest growing UK company.
• Direct post production for a contraceptive company in India.
• Create a new brand identity for a council.
• Branding for a Monaco based couture firm.

4) How much of the concepting or strategy phase have you been involved in in previous roles?
Everything and nothing. 25 years see's you in roles from hero to zero and still making the tea in between.

5) Tell me about a time when a client didn't like your work. And how did you resolve this situation?
Most clients are reasonably pragmatic people, they have worked hard to be the decision makers. If everyone does their job then client resistance can be minimised through communication, i.e., tell me why you don't like it and don't sugar coat it. The worst client is the one who doesn't know what they want until they see it, never undertake any commission from these clients unless they understand they'll pay for your time even if they don't like the results. It really does help everyone and it weeds out the time wasters.

If you don't have direct access to the client then you are buffered by an account handler or third party so a lot of faith is placed in their hands to deliver your vision. It's worth remembering that if a project is being steered away from your initial brief that it won't be the only project you'll ever work on ever, ever, ever so persist and ask questions… shoot the injured and win the war.

6) How do you stay organised when you are provided with multiple design assets, files, and ideas?
Creative people are renowned for being untidy and if that's your thing then who gives a toss as long as your awesome at your job, however, If those same files are shared with others then you have to respect the structure and keep it tidy. No one likes stepping in dog shit even if it's there dog so bag it up and see the bigger picture. If I'm provided with ideas it must be part of the brief, so assess their weight and be honest if they lend insight.

7) What questions do you ask before you begin any design project? What information is most important?
Expectation, time, cost. If it fits we'll do it. If it doesn't then you'll know by the time we've finished our coffee but thank you for the opportunity. If we're commissioned then ask what is it you want to say and who is it you want to say it to?

8) Tell me about a time when you had to balance multiple competing priorities?
The birth of my daughter coincided with the launch of a multi million pound clothing chain two years ago. My daughter and only child was two weeks late and arrived two days before the launch and my wife had a difficult birth and had to stay in hospital for a week.

As incredible as it sounds the client couriered a hard drive of assets for me to review at the hospital. And whilst my wife and daughter slept through the night I was right by there side with my MacBook Pro reviewing the work. To a third party this must sound utterly devoid of love or emotion to my family but sound bites are easy. This is what being the boss means, I had delegated what I could and worked hard to win this business in the months before. If I did not deliver it would have made my family's life more challenging at the very time they needed stability and I was the sole provider at this point. Our closest family member lives 440 miles away and while they did travel down almost straight after the birth they did not arrive for two days later. I completed the job, ordered a courier to return the drive and stayed with my family every second. Two days after that we all left hospital and I drove us home to meet a proud gran and aunt. 1 hour after that I was on a train to meet my client and collect the next round of creative. Big business doesn't stop, it’s not that it doesn’t care it’s just that the owner of that new business also had people relying on him, people like me. I've since taken many days off with my family and continue to provide, the only guilt I feel is not being able to do more.

This is far from the worst example I can give but it is important to state it is not typical. If I have 10 live projects then I tend to dispatch the ones that are easiest first and reward the demanding ones with my time.

9) Tell me about a project you've completed that has made you the most proud?
The greatest sense of accomplishment I felt was in the first year of my career. The work was far from award winning but it was mine. As your confidence grows and the more projects you produce you gradually loose the sensation of pride as it becomes normalised. It's important to state that you still care, you just become better at what you do.

It returns when you bail someone out the shit or if you do a good deed relevant to your skill set. The surprise return of that feeling can be payment itself.

10) What rules, culture, or structure needs to exist to foster team collaboration?
Be patient, constructive and accountable. Your not there to be liked, your not mates, your not BFF. But you don't have to be a prick either. Encourage debate and tell someone if they did a good job, you’ll be respected for it.

Don't patronise people, I've been patronised many times earlier in my early career and haven't forgotten how crushing it can be for simply not having experience or expressed an opinion. Nobody is born to the world with advanced industry knowledge, it is all learned through success and failures, particularly failure.

11) What’s your greatest weakness?

• Sugar.
• Questionnaires.

12) Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I love my work, I am incredibly lucky to have seen the changes I have witnessed in my industry and have been given and seized every opportunity. I was trained as an airbrush artist and then made the transition to digital as the industry adopted this latest technology and witnessed the demise of film processing, polaroid, ruby and manual page make up to be eventually replaced by pocket devices many times more powerful than the technology that put man on the moon. I recall how memorised I was by watching my then boss use the clone tool in Barco Creator in the early 90’s and when Photoshop introduced layers in version 3 and I don’t mean CS3. These were game changing moments never to be forgotten and will be difficult to convey years from now to my own daughter should she wish a career in the same industry.

During my time at Silicon Graphics in Ghent I saw the making of a film called ‘The Rock’ on an application called AliasWavefront (later to become Maya) where the closing scene involved 3D rendering fighter jets. I purchased the 3D application Raydream Designer for Mac on my immediate return and sent my colleagues minds into meltdown as I rotated a primitive can on screen, it was no F-15 fighter but the effect was the same. I only mention this because I may appear to be old to you but am only 43, the relevance of my experience now is measured not in the relics of old software or technology but the pace of change and the expectation that you will evolve with it. Your opportunities will not be the same as mine but will still be opportunities, I have met some of the most incredible people;

• Jim Dempster - GCBP college lecturer.
• Johnny Boyd - endorsed me to be trained in Belgium by Barco / Silicon Graphics at 19.
• Pete Smith - put me in charge of the London office at 22.
• Giancarlo Romano - my first client who still commissions me today.
• Sally Elms - gave me my first commission at Tough Little Graphic despite huge opposition and internal politics.
• John Baldwin - supported my business and offered industry insight.
• Emmanuel Eribo - most amazing client I've met and moral compass.
• Paul McManus - strategic thinker and visionary.

These people have been in positions of power and authority and taken a gamble that I would deliver. The opportunities afforded to me have allowed me to travel, be generous and support others. There are few people I would aspire to work for as an 'employee' but Paul McManus is one.

13) What are your strengths?

• Accountability.
• Adaptable.
• Loyalty.
• Respect.

When I founded Tough Little Graphic over 14 years ago I cold called the Composing Room. Founded in 1960 their then junior, a man called John Baldwin, worked his way up to be the owner of that business in later years. In short John understood what I was trying to achieve and I shared an office with them for over seven years mutually sharing clients and knowledge freely. I saw the long and arduous hours his team endured achieving great results for their clients and at times working for free to help people advance. John sadly died of cancer during this time and died in 2009. I place flowers by his grave every 6 months since his death and remember the amazing kindness gifted to me by John and the Composing Room in those fledgling years. John truly did meet thousands of people and had a cast iron reputation but as one of less than probably five people who visit his graveside helps keeps me grounded and reflect as well as motivate me.

14) What kind of design software are you familiar with?
2D, 3D, web, Adobe suite, Cinema 4D, Suitcase, Maya, Freeway and any offerings required to complete the project.

15) What is your graphic design process?
Conceptualise > sketch > collate > reflect if the deadline allows > refine > research > refine > deliver > refine > deliver

16) What have you learned from your mistakes as a graphic designer?
Keep everything you do whether the client likes it or not.

17) What can you tell me about your company/brand?
London based Tough Little Graphic delivers design and visualisation for image driven brands and Governments across existing and emerging platforms using specialist consultants.

18) What have you done to improve your knowledge of graphic design?
Work with better people.

Stepped away from the industry, relaxed and allowed the most inconceivable ideas to deviate into something tenable or not. Smell something different. Scare yourself. Challenge yourself in life, it will expose you to a different way of doing.

19) What kinds of print media have you worked with?
Everything from poster design, business cards, DL leaflets, coffee table books, print and newspaper advertising, plastics, stencils, 3D, exhibition stands, 3M match print, GMG proofing. Print is print, film is beautiful.

20) Can you tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure and how you overcame it?
Everyday. Pressure comes in all forms but rather than go into specifics I’d sooner proffer the advice not to take criticism personally, eat well and take time for you, even if it’s just an extra minute in the shower. You'll deal with pressure better this way. The longest I've worked was 58 hours with no sleep when I founded my first business, my sister used to bring me fresh clothes to work the next day. The pressure stopped when the project finished. My family supported me in all manor of ways, more than financial.

It’s important at this junction to note that pressure for a salaried person is the same as pressure for a consultant or freelancer. The salaried person still has to deliver where as the consultant can chose to exit the project but then seek further employment which is also a form pressure.

21) What qualities do you consider necessary for a good designer?

You've got to love it. That's it. Nothing else matters.

22) What kind of design projects interest you?
Technically challenging ones, you always have to push yourself. My father was an engineer and in later life I've been more reflective on industrial design and manufacturer. I particularly respect the way Swiss watch manufacturers produce an exacting narrative that surrounds the product. The projects that I find vacuous are based around social media due to the lack of longevity.

23) How good are you about sticking to your deadlines?
Awesome. How do you like being paid? Get the job done, get paid, move on to the new. Deadlines deliver focus and are imposed before the project starts, if you see them wain then you need to delegate or find the resource or talent to make the project happen. Not meeting your deadlines reflects on your professional reputation which should be motivation itself.

24) How long does it take for you to deliver the final product?
That depends on the client, there’s the version that your happy with and then there’s the vision the client had, hopefully the two meet, if they don't then a dialogue based around the objective and the possibility of starting afresh can frustrate expectations. Deadlines are generally imposed by clients who want to achieve an objective and need your help to do it, otherwise they would do it themselves.

25) How do you think others see your work/company?
How do you see the work and what are your thoughts? You would hope positive, maybe not?

People always draw comparisons, I recall a designer placing four logo options on their LinkedIn feed and asking which one people preferred. The diatribe was overwhelming, it confirms that you should only deliver what you were briefed and if your hearts not in it don't play to the crowd. Put your best foot forward. Not everything you create will go in your portfolio so remember to deliver what the client wants and not fret with regards to the size or prestige of a project.

26) Would you consider yourself a team player?
You have to be. The team extends beyond your office and clients, it goes to the heart of success from the cleaner to the CEO to my wife and family. Everything is connected.

27) How do you handle criticism?
Badly in the first 5 years of my career though times were very different culturally, there was a lot of testosterone and little diversity. It also depends who's criticising and the criticism levied. If it's a client then you have my undivided attention, if it's genuinely helpful then I love to hear it, if it's bluster then I'd sooner shut it down fairly quickly especially if there is little insight to be gained.

28) Can you suggest some interviews or articles that inspired you for you career choice?
No, I always had a flare for art and found a way to use it commercially. This is extremely powerful and moving;
Steve Jobs addressing Stanford University;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd_ptbiPoXM

29) Which graphic designers / studios influenced your type of work?
I have a huge respect for bygone artists who's work I find captivating, innocent and charming in contrast to the tech fest today. I envy their skill and ability to deliver a beautifully crafted moment uninterrupted and devoid of the need to tweet or draw attention to their work. I don’t envisage a scenario where I or Tough Little Graphic will achieve this legacy but am not upset as my journey has been reward enough…. though the money also helps;

• Brian Cook
• Norman Williamson
• Claude Buckle
• Alan Durman

30) Could you possibly tell me a motto or a quote you follow by? Some kind of phrase that helps motivates your work and what you do?
There's lots of motivational one liners, my old CEO used to say 'There are two types of people in this world, the can's and the rest are just cant's.' but I wouldn't champion this as he was extremely arrogant, although we did get along professionally.

I don't invest in motivational lines though I do have a series of terse responses at my disposal if the need arises. I draw on the depth of my experience and ask myself honestly if I could look at the people who have supported me square in the in the eyes and say to them I did my best. Being good people they would be forgiving or at least understanding if I failed having no doubt faced their own failures in life.

I'm still young, I have a lot I want to achieve.

Attachments area

Studio Brief 02 - Collaborative Practice Brief | Fur for Animals Brief | Storyboard

Storyboard for the 'Fur for Animal' advert
After the discussion of creating an advertisement, we started to commence with this task. We got a piece of sugar paper and quickly sketched out how which scene would be layout. 

Annotations done by Bobonut 

For the video advert, we want to make something that the people will share on social media according to the brief. All the backgrounds of our video will be projected because we have to consider the rabbit might be frightened or escape in the shoot. 

Scene 1 : The model walking down the street in a big city with a fur coat

Scene 2 : We bring up the camera and scan her body form the bottom to the top to show her whole outfit and the fur coat.

Scene 3 : A close up on the phone screen to show that she is think she is popular on the internet and putting hashtag like fabulous, fancy, posh, fashionable, fashion queen........

Scene 4 : She imagines she is so popular that even got fans or paparazzi taking pictures of her

Scene 5 : Wind rise and a poster fly into her face and she take it down.

Scene 6 : She read the poster 

Scene 7 : She remove the poster from her sight and she saw the rabbit from the poster in front of her. 

Scene 8 : A close up to the rabbit's cute face.

Scene 9 : The model try to hold the rabbit up.

Scene 10 : The model get eye contact with the rabbit and think the rabbit is thinking something.

Scene 11 : The model turn her head around and look back

Scene 12 : She saw the way that she came through is covered with rose petals

Scene 13 : The model understand her fur coat causes life, so another breeze and the fur coat flies away. 

Scene 14 : The rabbit start to cuddle with the model and lick her face and they became friends.

Scene 15 : There is a same poster that the model saw before but she became the model in the poster. 

Scene 16 : With the slogan at the end.

We decided to use rose petal in scene 12 because we are working on a friendly approach and we don't really want to use any blood to indicate that fur trades causes life, and rose petals is a really gentle way to represent blood. 

Studio Brief 02 | Creative Presence | Interviewing Professionals - Kenneth Anderson, Charactercube

1) Describe your creative process?I generally start by mulling over the client brief and spending a bit of time letting it simmer in my head as I go about doing other things. By the time I start working on a project I usually have some idea of how I might approach it.

Next step is to do any research I might need to do. If I need to draw something I am unfamiliar with I make sure to research the subject a bit.

Next step is to start sketching. If I am doing character design I start with a page full of thumb nail sketches, ideas for characters, different shapes sizes etc but all while hopefully meeting the requirements of the brief. I keep this stage super fast and loose - it is about getting ideas onto paper rather than rendering something amazing. At this point I show the client and we take it from there. My process is an iterative one - draw something, respond to feedback, draw some more.

2) How do you get unstuck creatively?
Unless I have client work to do, I don't try and force myself to be creative. I prefer the spontaneous creativeness that comes from something you see or something that happens and inspires you.

But if I need to be creative within a deadline and I hit a stumbling block, I try drawing through it at first. I just keep drawing and hope the blockage dissipates. If it doesn't then I find taking a break from the desk, going for a walk, doing something else and giving the mind a break (if I can within deadlines) really helps. Sometimes even looking at other artists work I admire can kick start things again.

3) What project are you currently working on?
I have a few projects on the go, most of them are on animated childrens television shows in production. I can't say too much about them but I am involved in concepting characters, backgrounds and props for both 2d shows and 3d shows. For the 3D shows, anything I design will be used as reference and modeled in 3D.

I also have some editorial illustration projects on the go from time to time.

4) How much of the concepting or strategy phase have you been involved in in previous roles?Most of my freelance career has involved concepting for projects. As a character designer it basically comes with the job.

On a more strategic level, I was a lead artiist a few years back on a game production which involved thinking more about how to approach the design - basically I was art directing. These days though, a strategy and idea concept has been decided before hand and my role is to visualise it. In my field, I refer to that as concept art really. Anything I draw will be a concept for the production if that makes sense.

5) Tell me about a time when a client didn't like your work. And how did you resolve this situation?
I have never had a client explicitly say - " I don't like this". However there have been times when I could tell they were less than satisfied with the outcome. In those scenarios, I do what I can to resolve the issues, improve the work.

I believe prevention is better than cure however and I feel my process limits the chances of me finishing the work and a client not liking it. I work closely with them through out, getting feedback at every stage so there is a constant process of approval as we go and the end result is never a surprise to them.

6) How do you stay organised when you are provided with multiple design assets, files, and ideas?
If I am given a large brief, I read through it carefully and cut and paste the key points/ideas into a document which I can then print and refer to. I find it best to focus on the overall design wants and not wants and keep my focus simple. I refer back to the brief constantly to make sure I am not missing anything.

With files, I try to keep things organised well in folders etc. The nature of my job means I don't generally have a large group of interacting assets - I mainly have a series of PSD process files, which I number clearly - ie. filename_001.psd. Its pretty simple. Then I just use logical file structures to organise any files into related groups. So, say I am designing 5 characters, I may have each character separated by folder. Occasionally I will have PSD files which are nested in other PSD files so I just keep them in the same place/folder for convenience and name them in a way I know exactly what they are and what version they are.

7) What questions do you ask before you begin any design project? What information is most important?
I generally ask questions which fill in the gaps from the brief. As I read a brief things pop into my head.

As a character designer this might be things like - what age is this character? Where are they from and what is their core personality? Are there any specific features this character must have or must not have? And most importantly - what should I NOT be doing with this character design? As in, what design decisions should I be avoiding? For example, if I am designing a dog character, I need to know if it can be anthropomorphised or should look and act like a normal real dog. The constraints of a project, the boundaries are the most important thing to know in my opinion!

8) Tell me about a time when you had to balance multiple competing priorities?
Well, right now! I am juggling a few projects. Sometimes you don't realise you have said yes to too much work until it is too late. It is mainly about getting time management right and working in spare time, evenings and weekends. I make sure I meet any obligations for a particular project and work around that. So if I have a deadline date on one project but I am more flexible on the other, I prioritise getting one sorted and out the way. Generally, in my field, clients are happy for me to get the work done when I want to do it within any time restraints. It is one of the perks of freelancing, so it means I can juggle and reshuffle work to make sure I fit what I need to in. Of course I don't recommend taking too much on all the time, as it can really wear you out.

9) Tell me about a project you've completed that has made you the most proud?Recently I was asked to illustrate a cover for ImagineFX magazine. I wouldn't say I'm super proud of the final image - I guess there were a lot of restraints that I wouldn't have chosen for myself - but I was happy to have gotten to do a magazine cover. It felt like all my hard work was paying off. 

10) What rules, culture, or structure needs to exist to foster team collaboration?
I find it hard to answer this as I mostly work alone from home these days. But in my previous experience of working in teams - I feel there needs to be a feeling of companionship between people and a sense that they are not just colleagues but potential friends. In a way I guess - obviously if people are too friendly it might make it harder to give constructive criticism. But if people are too focused on their colleagues as colleagues, it can be a rather dull working experience. Fun can be a glue which holds a team together. Maybe that only works in the world of animation though!

Also, communication is important. The left hand must know what the right hand is doing otherwise things can get messy.

11) What’s your greatest weakness?
As a designer it would probably be my lack of patience. I guess I like to get something done and out the way quickly, but some things require time and consideration. So I can jump right in sometimes without doing the necessary ground work and I end up getting a bit off course. It doesn't happen often and it doesn't ultimately affect the outcome but it's just not a good working practice. It's best to plan and research a bit more before jumping into the drawing stage.

12) Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I live and work in Glasgow as a freelance character designer and illustrator. I've been freelance on and off since 2009 but it's only really taken off in the past 2-3 years. I work between games animation and illustration, with clients mostly in Europe and the UK.

13) What are your strengths?
I think I can get ideas and rough designs out pretty fast. This is good at the start of the design process. I think also I am fairly good at conveying a sense of story and personality in my designs which is important in my industry and to the clients I work with.

14) What kind of design software are you familiar with?
I mainly use Photoshop, probably for 90% of what I do. I used to use flash a lot and I've dabbled in illustrator. I'm also familiar with after effects and premiere. Basically, anything Adobe.

15) What is your graphic design process?
Not sure​ I can answer this well as I don't do much graphic design. I have been asked to do logos and stuff before and in those cases my process is essentially the same as my character design process, an iterative evolution of the design.

16) What have you learned from your mistakes as a graphic designer?
I'll answer this from an illustration/character design point of view. Basically, every mistake is a learning process and informs the way I work and approach a job. Mostly about doing business and dealing with clients rather than the design side - being a freelancer has been a bit of a baptism of fire and I've had to work it out as I go along by making mistakes and adjusting my approach to everything really. Mainly how to charge for my work, how to read contracts and how to interact with clients on many levels.

17) What can you tell me about your company/brand?
I don't really have a company or a brand really. I guess my illustration style is my brand in the sense that the way I draw maybe makes me unique to a certain degree. I think certain clients will be drawn to my work for it's fun and energetic sensibilities. There isn't really anything dark about my work - my designs seem to inhabit a happy/safe world so I think that explains why I end up doing a lot of work in children's television!

I don't really focus on my business/art work from a brand point of view, but I think possibly it is something I should think more about in the future.

18) What have you done to improve your knowledge of graphic design?
I'm always trying to improve my craft! I sometimes do online tutorials in how to improve certain aspects of my work. Recently I did an online course in painting environments for animated film and then another course in posing characters/expressive gesture drawing. Also, I spend a bit of time looking through art books from all fields, to keep my influences wide.

Sometimes I do courses offline too, although living in Scotland, courses in my field are quite rare here. They usually consist of workshops with other people in the industry over a couple of days - they really help push my skills and knowledge to the next level.

19) What kinds of print media have you worked with?
I don't do much work in print media, but I have contributed a lot of illustrations to Saga magazine. I've also done a cover and workshop tutorial for Imagine FX magazine. Apart from that I illustrated a board game a couple of years back! But most of my work is in television/film.

20) Can you tell me about a time when you had to work under pressure and how you overcame it?
Sometimes if I take a lot of work on, it can be a lot of pressure on my time and energy. I mainly deal with these situations by organising my time the best I can and getting plenty of sleep. I used to skimp on my sleep years back, but it's so important to rest enough and so I rarely cut back on sleeping these days for a job. Which forces me to be sensible with my time and get stuff done efficiently. Again, I believe in prevention rather than cure - so I try to avoid getting into these highly pressurised situations. I make sure that deadlines are reasonable and doable and only take on as much as I think I can without going crazy.

21) What qualities do you consider necessary for a good designer?
For character design there will be particular qualities. The obvious ones are universal to all design - so good awareness of shape and form, balance and harmony in an image, colour relationships, problem solving and communication in an image. Specific to character design I would say, an ability to convey a personality in a drawing, appeal, story telling and a really good grasp of human and even animal anatomy. These things are really important, especially being able to apply those universal design rules to the world of character design.

22) What kind of design projects interest you?
Anything that involves an interesting script and characters! I like getting to design fun characters with the time and budget for more in depth exploration. If a project has a low budget and not enough time to really think about the design, it can be less interesting to work on. Also - anything with pirates. I like to design pirates, unfortunately I don't often get the chance in my client work.

23) How good are you about sticking to your deadlines?
I rarely miss a deadline - if I think I need more time I am always up front with the client and they are generally accommodating. If a deadline can't be shifted then I do what I can to get it done in the time, even if it means breaking my "get enough sleep" rule. But generally, I'm good enough at organising and multi-tasking that I get stuff done in time. With experience, I think I am fairly good at estimating time frames and if I can meet a clients time restraints from the outset.

24) How long does it take for you to deliver the final product?
It really depends on what it is. I can blast out a page of quick character ideas in half a day, but the process slows down if I have to render up a design nicely in full colour etc. It also depends on the complexity or simplicity of a character and the amount of information the client needs. If they want character facial expressions or a character turnaround, or poses etc, this all adds to the time frame. Every job is different and will take different lengths of time to complete.

25) How do you think others see your work/company?
I hope people see me as professional while also quite relaxed and down to earth. The type of work I do allows a bit of fun into the equation. Of course, I really hope clients see my work as high quality and worth paying for!

26) Would you consider yourself a team player?
Yes, you have to be. Even though I work alone from home, I am always interacting with people via email and online team management software. In this type of work too, no one works in a bubble. I don't design alone, the client inputs their opinion into the work or I work under an art director who is directing what I am doing. If I wasn't a team player I don't think I would be good to work with and the work would probably dry up!

27) How do you handle criticism?
I view it as a critique, a positive critique. If a client critiques my work I take it on the chin and respond to it accordingly. Thankfully most clients I work with are totally switched on to my industry and the work I do so they always have informed opinions and generally know what they are talking about! Some of them are also artists themselves. So I respect their opinions and critiques and see them as an opportunity to learn and improve. Also, I don't get too attached to my work - if the client doesn't like it and wants to shift in a different direction, I may chime in with my opinion, but overall, I respect their opinion and roll with it.

28) Can you suggest some interviews or articles that inspired you for you career choice?
When I was a child, I watched a lot of interviews with Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit. I'm not sure where to access them now! But they really inspired me as a kid. I guess any interview with artists I admire and respect. One in particular I remember was with Peter De Seve, one of my favourite artists. I read an interview about his process but I wouldn't know where to find it now - I think I found it online a few years back.

29) Which graphic designers / studios influenced your type of work?
I love the work of Aardman Animations. Also, Headless animation. I have a lot of influences, some of them are, Peter De Seve, Nico Marlet, Nick Park, Stephen Silver, LD Austin to name a few.

30) Could you possibly tell me a motto or a quote you follow by? Some kind of phrase that helps motivates your work and what you do?

My favourite quote would be the following, which I have paraphrased:

"Start with what you know and the unknown will reveal itself"

I have read it being attributed to different source so I am unsure exactly who said it. I remember hearing a few years ago and I apply it to lots of things in my life, not just my design process. But it really helps in my design - if I am ever stuck with a brief, I just think of this phrase and it really helps me focus. By starting with what you know regarding a project / design brief and working from there, any issues or unsolved problems soon become easier to figure out, if that makes sense!