The Mango Club Collective Presentation

Overall I am really happy with our idea and hopefully would like to take this venture forward in the future as a collective. I think our idea was innovative and different, making us stand out against other collectives already working in the creative industries. 

Reflecting on the presentation itself, we ran a bit short of the allotted time, which I think is due to a lack of rehearsal as a group. Listening to other collectives presentations it also seems we missed out on some important points that could have bulked up our content - and if we are to pursue this would need to think about... 

• Being a collective is beneficial to us after we leave the comforts of college, because it gives us a support group. 
• Professional help - who can we talk to for advise? (that is appropriate to our aims as a collective)
• Examples of other similar ventures by other collectives or even charities, which we can learn from..
• Thinking longterm beyond the launch event - how are we going to distribute and make our products? are we going to have an online shop? are we going to hire our own space - shop/exhibition space like Colours May Vary? (this would be a very longterm goal)

Sending a letter to Atelier Bingo

I am sending a letter off to Atelier Bingo, finally! I am hoping this will get a response in the next couple weeks and then I can interview them over Easter.

Here is what I wrote - I am aware that I can sometimes be quite formal in writing so I tried my best to keep it light-hearted and casual. I then added my email in at the bottom as a point of contact. I typed this up first, to make sure I get the spelling and everything right, and then hand-wrote it. 

I choose my favourite print from OUIL504 to send to them - because this is screen-print as well, which is the main process that they use, I think they will appreciate that its hand-crafted (and hopefully like it). 

Here is the final package to send all the way to France. I am finding this quite a nerve-racking experience and to be honest will be a bit disappointed if I don't get a response but I think I have hopefully done all I can to make them feel that I am deserving of one. 

Talking to Ben

In my progress tutorial I asked Ben for some advice as to how to get in contact with my creative presence people for interview. I spoke to him about my ideas to create something but he suggested that this would maybe take up too much of my time and it would probably be best to send something I already have made - like a print from OUIL504. Along with a handwritten letter, sending a print he felt would definitely dignify a response. 

To be honest I found this a bit of a relief. With all the work I have on at the moment I feel that doing this, instead of making something from scratch (however much I thought that this would be fun to do), would probably prove a much better use of my time. 

'Out of Order', Level 6 exhibition at Colours May Vary

I thought that the 'Out of Order', level 6 exhibition at Colours May Vary was very well thought out and put together. I think all their promotion - posters, instagram and window display - was very effective and professional. 

These were my personal favourites displayed in the exhibition, simply because they align quite well with my own taste in illustration and what I value in my own practice. I really liked how they displayed the prints, with the business card holder underneath so if people like the work they can then contact the illustrator. 

I had a look at some of the business cards in order to get some inspiration for the making of my own in the future. Molly Fairhurst's particularly caught my eye, first because of the image, but also because it was a sticker. I think this is such a great idea - giving a business card a function ultimately makes it more attractive, it also shows that you are an inventive and playful practitioner (I think so anyway). 

All I can say is that I can't wait to organise one of our own exhibitions as a group of illustrators hopefully in the future and even more hopefully in Colours May Vary!

Visit to Studio 24, Mabgate

It was exciting to visit studio 24 and see where we will be holding our group exhibition. The space has a very industrial, on trend feel to it and so is somewhere I would love to see some of my work exhibited. The only problem I would identify is that in terms of the amount of people involved, and could be viewing the exhibition, one could say the space is quite small.  However I guess this where planning comes in to find the most effective and strategic way of displaying everyones work. 

I had a look at the website to see how events have used the space in the past. I really like the idea of using these free-standing displays as I think they really suit the tone of space, as well as just being really effective in providing extra platforms through which to display work. 

Adjusting the positioning of these walls, especially using them high-up to display animation, I think could look really interesting as well as provide more space below to display work of graphic design and illustration.

This exhibition is also a really good opportunity to promote my work. I like the idea of having a stall to sell prints, or even red dots to place on peoples work to then provide prints later to those who have purchased them. I think I would also like to make some business cards to display under my work or even give to people on the launch night. 

The Corner Shop

Recently I have created a series of greeting cards for a local shop to me back home that sells homewares and gifts - 'The Corner Shop'. It is has been a really valuable experience pitching my designs and collaborating with the owners to produce something we are mutually happy to feature in the shop.

At times, it has been a struggle to appropriately price the cards in consideration of production costs and the shop mark-ups. Initially there was also the idea of producing a series of wrapping paper, however due to production costs being too high for such small volumes in the end it did not seem financially feasible. I think producing these cards have also shown me that in doing this independently the profit margins turn out to be very small - in the future it would be better if I collaborated with a print workshop to produce the physical products... 

Another learning curve in this mini-project has been branding myself and producing logo to act as a bit of promotion on the back of my cards. I have been wanting to do this in a while, but have been struggling to find an identity I am completely happy with...I think this is a start but not completely there as of yet. 

All in all, however, I have really enjoyed producing these card designs and collaborating with the shop. It has been good to be able to play around with something completely non-conceptual, as well as make strides towards professionalising and branding my practice. 

Presentation skills talk

I found the talk today interesting and it was good to gain an outside perspective from someone who does not work within the illustration specialism. I really liked how he emphasised the importance of our own individuality, and how this should be at the core of how we present ourselves to others (our USP). 

Why do I want to get better presentation skills?

To be able to effectively articulate and communicate my ideas to others - which increases the value of your work. 

Because ultimately being able to appropriately present yourself and engage with others will lead to greater success and more job opportunities. 

Keys to a good presentation 

BODY LANGUAGE and HOW you say your content

Pitch, Speed & Volume 

Do not use crutch words (erm, um, like etc.), try to pause instead. 

Eye contact - engage with ppl in the room. Divide it into sections. 

Make sure your body language compliments/emphasises what your trying to say, and try and avoid off-putting posture/movements

Structuring your presentation

Bookending - begin and end the presentation with the same anecdote, image, quote etc. relating someway to the overall content of the presentation. 

The power of 3! - try to use both in your speech (the good, the bad and the ugly), and in the overall structure of your presentation (announce this at the beginning). 

Content 

- head and heart

Head - what, how etc.

Ppl want to know more about the heart stuff - why? who are you? who is this going to effect? how does it make a difference? 

Task

1.2/2.5 pres. about yourself

Think - content, structure & behaviour

I found these pointers very useful, and can definitely now see how these small changes can make a massive difference in the impact of a presentation and how you engage with an audience. For me, I think developing my presentation skills will definitely be a process that will take time and practice, because I find the experience quite nerve-raking. But, I can see how this will benefit me in the future, as well as during my time at college, so am willing to put in the work :)