Date: 11th.Nov.2011
Time: 14:13.

Craig’s official website: http://www.craigoldham.co.uk/

Craig Oldham, seriously an amusing and direct graphic designer. There has been quite a few distinctive lectures this year and I must declared that the most interesting one has to be him - Craig Oldham. Yup, the guy who warned us to be tolerant to his foul language prior to the lecture while I mistook it as the main title of the lecture. Even though the lecture was mostly beneficial to graphic design students, we illustrators got to learn something valuable today too.

I am not gonna write a long dissertation on his lecture, I would love to but let’s keep it all simple just like his own principles. We shall start now with my notes.

1. Understand what graphic design means to you. 

Think about what design means to you. Why are you studying design? We have to understand that design means different to everyone because human beings are coherently subjective. I got really struck by a statement he wrote in his 12 in 12 print in lesson 1:

”For me ‘Graphic’ means communication: making often quite complex informtion easier to understand.”

Going back to the point that we are all subjective, Crag Oldham divided generalized designers into 2 ”bunches”:

Bunch A - Logical:
Designers that use logic, utilise clarity and function, rationalise the communicative elements beyond any other means to present a formal and precise argument to their audience. The Triple-F Bunch - Form Follows Function. 

Bunch B - Emotional:
Designers that use any and every form of communication available - intelligence, wit, humour, serendipity, etc - to create and emotional connection between the design and its audience. The Big Idea bunch.

For example, the ”NO PARKING” sign on the road is simply typographical and simple. However, Craig has shown us an alternative picture of car park with lots of descriptive illustrations indicating ”NO PARKNG”, ”PARKING FOR RESTAURANT” instead of utilising typeface. People wouldn’t be able to remember so many different drawings for different purposes so they solely input ”NO PARKING” in the right typeface and paint it on the floor, clear, simple and easy to remember. 

Obviously, it doesn’t seem like to apply to what interest me at all but I do like motion graphics and typographic animation (even though I have never tried any of those mentioned) but as a designer, he suggested us to discover which bunch we belong to and expand our encounters who are in the same bunch get to share ideas and become life-time friends maybe!

2.How to get people respect designers?

Well, I didn’t really understand this part but the humour was that once a designer said that designers wearing a lab coat will gain more respect from people and clients as they seem like scientists. 

3. Be honest with yourself about your strengths and your weaknesses.

What did Craig mean by pointing out honesty? Basically is about being yourself and do what makes you comfortable. Say when you explain your ideas or work to your boss or colleagues, don’t push yourself too hard in trying to impersonate some kind of scientific explanation making you seem like a higher level of designer, no DON’T DO THAT, ”it’s foolish” because you won’t get anything ahead of it. All you need to do is try your best and be yourself, use simple and understandable words to interpret your design. Though if you still prefer to use very academic and formal language then it’s fine. 

Know what your real strengths and weaknesses are. Although we may have a wideeeee range of interest and hobbies only some of them are the ones that we most like and we’d love to focus on in order to be able to master a specific skills.

He suggested to be brutal, to make a list of things we need to improve on which will gradually help us in the long run and prioritise what we need to learn. 

4. The portfolio is the most subjective piece of work you will ever design.

Here I am gonna use a slight amount of his words from 12 in 12:

So it’s back to basics, quick and punchy to reel you in: stay away from any kind of board. A3’s brill, A4 okay but A2 is way out (A3 can be quickly amended with a tap of the ‘Print’ button). Try and avoid the zip-and-clip portfolios, they’re a little amateur ish, otherwise get a box or more of a book. No keylines around white stuff - use tints instead. Nice photos, cutouts or the visual straight from your electronic file.

Hehe this section of the lecture is too unforgettable as Craig was explaining what he loathe about posters photos. The old fashioned way of showcasing a designer’s portfolio (as shown in the picture below) apparently Craig seriously hates this kind of display within the portfolio, I don’t remember his exact words but they were like:

Who the f*ck cares about this guy’s pants or shirt? 
Why would you f*cking do that with a poster?
I know that you are trying to show the scale of the poster but does it even matter?

I felt a bit offended because I did the same thing for my first poster in 1st year. However I got over that feeling because he is indeed a cool guy not because he swears but because he has so many good points! 

Start good, end well, is a general rule of thumb for your book.

Treat it like you’re watching film: the opening scene pulls you in with a good piece of work, you then move through the middle: a mixed bag of pace, short projects mixed with the bigger and more complex: Then we come to the end. Depending on when, in the timescale of the year you present your work, it can be nice, and useful, to end with an on-going project. This allows you’re viewer to have their input on the work and an involved designer is always a happy designer. 

Your work should earn a place in the portfolio, it ca be tempting to make yourself look like the busiest designer on earth by cramming in everything, but that’s a bad idea, don’t put work in simply pad it out. If you’re unsure of a project ask what it brings to the table that another project doesn’t. Be brutal, and be honest. if you see flaws then others will do.

Another thing worth considering is knowing what work the company that you’re seeing does is a really big part in the presentation for your book. Once you know, you can tailor it to fit. There’s no use in approaching a packaging consultancy with a portfolio full of books and print, it helps to be relevant but still show your variety. Be specifically generic. 

(…)A portfolio is never finished. It needs looking after, a bit like you would a plant (…) You need to nurture it and watch it grow whilst pruning it every so often and letting it get some sun, It really is worth it. Out with the old and in with the new, if the new is better.

That didn’t look like a slight reference did it? Also I clearly recall him saying:

- A portfolio is about the work not yourself.
( it might get to the point that you even hate your own portfolio)

- The degree to which a designer has style is the degree to which they haven’t solved the problem.
(I am trying really hard to understand this bit…)

5. Share ideas with people and engage with them.

Two heads are better than one. 

When people ask question to others about their own drawing (such as do you like my work?), maybe the majority would give a response as ‘that’s really nice’ mainly because they are telling the truth or don’t want to hurt your feelings. This accounts for the question itself, you are asking IF they FANCY your piece of artwork, it automatically leads people to give a NICE response without hurting your feelings. Therefore the questions should be asked in an appropriate way such as: what do you think of the birds’ shading? Do you think it would be better if (…)? etc. In that case, people will be honest about your work and might even give you great solutions or advices which will contribute to your final piece greatly. Don’t lock yourself in your own room designing and not letting people know what you are doing or seeing what others are doing. Sharing ideas, communicating with people will inspire you and who knows a little miracle might even occur! 

Design is not a solitary practice, by any means. Even one-man-band outfits, like Michael C. Place of Build, still collaborate with others. Don’t think that you can do everything. (…) I find students feel that if they share their work, allowing others to comment upon it, they feel that they ”didn’t come up with the idea” and so embark on a solitary quest of claiming credit for everything. they become ‘The Hoarder’  - a single protective person bound by their desire to carefully guard those secret and valued ideas. The trouble with being a ‘Hoarder’ is that you are finite. Limited. Your sources will run out. You need constant supplies to keep going: a fresh stream of comments (particularly constructive criticism more than praise), inspiration, motivation and resource in order to improve and move on. And you’d be surprised what it will bring in: you’ll be stocking up with plenty of these:

Reassurance/Avoidance: Discussing your ideas will give you more direction and allow you to better judge an idea. After all, if you like it, Andy likes it and Georges likes it, it’s likely that even more people will like it. They could also loathe it - that one crops up too.

This way/That way: there are numerous ways of doing things but if you do them in the same way every time you are likely t bump into the same solution to that problem. You can’t apply a single formula to getting ideas. sharing your working process with someone allows you to see how they work nd will take you in a different direction to that well trodden path. 

Inspiration/Direction: In that passing glance on the way to relieve a call of nature, Mike sees what I’m up to. ”Oh, that’s interesting, I like it.” - ”Yeah, I am trying to get my logo to look like it’s snoring but it’s kicking my arse.” - ”You should look at that visual thesaurus thing, it gives you all the archetypal visuals on topics and stuffs, that might help. I’ll dig it out for you.” - ‘That would be tip-top Mike. Tar.”’ It’s all from just a few words from someone outside your territorial bubble. 

6. Placements. 

In this part, I am gonna be brief as Craig’s talk on placements were mostly based on his own experience as a graphic designer. 

Why should we get placements? - either small/pokey one/in-house/independent/one week/ 12 months placements

• Agency Insight, unique and valuable experience
• New expectations 
• Hone all of your skills
• Put you ahead of the competition
• Experience working with a team
• Build bridges & meet some interesting folk
• To become more confident
• Improve your Tea making

- Placement experiences looks super on CV, because when someone gets a CV in the post they don’t just sit down to read about your superior shelf-stacking ability acquired whilst working at Costcutter. They couldn’t give a sh*t about that. They want to know what relative experience you have, because that matters. It will also add to the people you make contacts with.

Why not get a placement?

• Make a loss money-wise
• Taken advantage of
• Away for a period of time, more often than not, alone.

On Preparation:
Have a short list of companies to hit: if there are no goals then you can’t store. Become a design Detective and trace through every resource available to get research on your companies. What kind of work do they do? Where are they? Who do they work for? read the trade comics (Design Week, Creative Review, Grafik, Eye, Baseline) visit websites and ask around. See if your tutors agree with your choices. and talk to students/friends who have been through the experience. 

On Realisation:
Contact them, get a name, and for God’s sake spell it right.
Be clean and clear in everything that they will see (letter, portfolio, email, PDF)
A little enthusiasm goes a long way.
Be punctual, interested and ask questions. Your comments are valid.

Placements aren’t for everyone. But I feel that whether the experience is good or bad it is worthy. Ultimately it will make you realise that you’re in the wrong game or totally reassure you that you were born to design.  

7. Be nice and work hard.

The Lesson is that being nice to people makes people be nice to you. If you help someone out they will return the favour and when you’re starting out on a new career, you’re going to need help. 

The more you put in the more you get out. Be nice to people. Don’t be selfish. Be considerate. 

8. Understand what’s going on within the design industry.

The last two points don’t seem as detailed as the first 6 points but well, as long as i understood and I have learnt from it it’s enough. Besides, i have got a copy of 12 in 12, have read 7 lessons so far. 

In conclusion, Crag’s lecture will be remembered deeply. Thank you so much Craig even though you will never know how much we loved your lecture. :)