Marketing Excellence Awards

Me, Merlin and Chloe (from Leeds College of Art) journeyed down to the big smoke on Wednesday to attend the CIM: Marketing Excellence Awards that our prospectus had been nominated for. None of us had really been to anything like that before, so we were all quite excited – I was especially excited about the 4 course silver service dinner.

Merlin, Chloe and me

I have to say a good time was had by all – free champagne and funny words by Mock The Week's Hugh Dennis definitely went down well. I thought I would have to make polite conversation which smarmy marketing executives, but the people we were sat with all seemed really nice. Wearing a spazzy tuxedo wasn't even as bad as I thought it would be.

Hugh Dennis

However, the food (which, if you were paying attention, was what I was most excited about) was crap. You would think that paying over £200 for a ticket and informing them in advance that you were a vegan would ensure a pretty good meal. It didn't. A few salad leaves for a starter, and no dessert at all (although the waitress seemed convinced the dessert she had brought me was vegan until I asked her if she was sure twice, after which she admitted that she didn't have a clue).

Oh, and in case you're wondering... no, we didn't win. O well, we still had a good evening.

Happy Birthday to Me

It was my Birthday on Monday, and Kyle Harvey posted this lovely video of me on LS6.

I don't normally mention BMX on this blog. Not sure why, I just don't. But I'm making an exception for this. Here's me hurting myself and destroying a pair of jeans:

Kyle O Mans Bday from Ls6bmx on Vimeo.

PS. Don't worry, we put the slabby thing at the bottom of the ledge back when we were done...

Chartered Institute of Marketing

The LCA prospectus Merlin and I have done has been shortlisted for a CIM Marketing Excellence Award. That's pretty big time.

Graduation

Last week I was honoured to graduate in the first graduation ceremony that Leeds College of Art have organised independently from the University.

I was also honoured to design all the venue dressing and printed material.



Here I am holding the ceremonial staff, trying my best not to do Gandalf impressions ("You shall not pass!"), standing with Chloe and Rose from the LCA marketing team in front of one one of the banners Merlin and I designed.

Far From Home?

Me, Tom Bing and Sally McGee have put together an exhibition for The Manuel Bravo Project called Far From Home? in The Light Leeds. It was hard work but we got there eventually—I think were all pleased with the outcome. Below is the poster and some initial photos that Tom took today.







PS farfromhome.org.uk coming soon!

For Print Only

A little late I know... but design blog/website For Print Only were kind enough to feature mine and Merlin's LCA prospectus design. Check it out here (its prob a few posts down by now).

Out with the old, in with the new.

It's been a while since I last posted. Apologies to any avid fans out there...

This post marks a pivotal time in my life. It marks the point where I completed the transition from design student to designer—although it doesn't feel any different, I'm still learning new things on every job that I do (something I think, and hope, will continue for a long time to come).

I graduated from Leeds College of Art in June, and was lucky enough to get a First (I say 'lucky' because I don't believe that the marking system truly represents a persons ability as a designer, ie you can be a first-rate designer and get a Third, or a third rate designer and get a First). I then moved in with Merlin Mason and Cat Wickes, two other designers, one of which I'm romantically involved with (I'll leave it up to you to guess which one)—we have a nice big studio room in our house, which is awesome.

Since then I have have managed to get my stumpy Manx hands on quite a lot of interesting (and by-and-large 'bill paying') design work. Although admittedly a lot of it has come from the same client — I should take this opportunity to say thanks to Leeds College of Art for keeping me from starving.

I started by designing and art-directing the Leeds College of Art prospectus with Merlin Mason, which was really great—my biggest job to date, and I have just finished designing an English text book for Tibetan refugees in India for TCV. I have also done a couple of jobs for the south Asian arts organisation, Kala Sangam—a book documenting their Kala Pal project, and their autumn programme. At the same as this I was designing a booklet (showing off student awards) that folded out into an A1 wallplanner for Leeds College of Art. I am currently working with photographer Tom Bing and the Manuel Bravo Project on an campaign and exhibition in The Light (a shopping centre/cinema/other stuff in the center of Leeds) called Far From Home? that deals with the issues surrounding asylum seekers. I am also working with Merlin Mason to design my own graduation ceremony (banners, invites, certificate holders, programme, etc).

That's about it. I will try and keep my blog fairly up-to-date from now on...