OUGD602 - PPP3 - Inspiration - Tombow Brush Pen

Today, I received my Amazon order of a Tombow ABT brush pen. After working on this collaboration with Roxxie Blackham and using her brush pens, I was impressed of how it helped achieve script writing effects, as I had always used a pencil (probably obvious but anyway). 

After watching this video on youtube ...

(excuse the language) I decided that a Tombow ABT brush pen was my best bet:

Here's a few of my first doodles:

I mean, these are all pretty naff by any means, but I really want to develop this as a skill, as it can assist with hand lettering with type as image. I am going to keep developing this whenever I get time - most definitely in summer after I have completed my degree (!).

An example of brush lettering in Graphic Design.

http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/cardon-webb-ralph-ellison-covers

The versatility of producing lettering by hand means that the logo/ design/ title is unique for the client.

https://www.behance.net/gallery/Brushpen-Lettering-set-02/8309133

I have ordered another set of coloured Tombow brushpens but I think I also want to get a Copic Sketch brush marker because they seem to be firmer, so I can try out more mid-century style lettering such as this: 

https://www.behance.net/gallery/Brush-Lettering-Collection-No-1/14266643?

OUGD602 - PPP3 - A design presence/ Personal Branding - Updated CV and Covering Letter

As outlined in the previous post I've made today for applying for Disney (again) I just wanted to show how I've updated my CV and covering letter since, well the last time I used it - when I applied for Disney International programs in summer 2013.

Here is my old CV and covering letter;

This is not the last one I designed, but the last one I used! I designed it in the summer of 2013 during my last online application. Looking at it now it's just awful, but I can see that I wanted to stand out, I imagined a big pile of CV's and wondered how to make mine the most garish, I guess.

I then designed this one last year: - 

But never got around to using it. I like what I designed but looking at it it still looks rather juvenile, again, in an attempt to create something a bit different and again - garish! I like the colours and nod toward mid-century style but I think it narrows my audience a bit too much and it needed to be made more simple.

Here is the CV I designed/ used most recently for my applications at Disney Pro Interns:

I borrowed elements of the mid century style used in my last CV but the format just wasn't practical, plus I think that this simplified version is more modern and better suited for it's purpose.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Applying for an MFA Continued & Applying at Walt Disney Pro Interns

Back in November, I was exploring all the many options to take upon departing the course in May/ June, and as you can see in this post here, one of the routes I investigated was the idea of becoming a US student on a MFA course studying Themed Entertainment Design. When I came into contact with professionals in the industry whilst over there in the 'States, it became apparent that it would be more straightforward to be involved in internships at Walt Disney Pro Interns as a US student, as that's what most people assumed I was and when I corrected them, I got the impression that my entry into the company as a professional would not be so sure.

My last word on this blog about the topic is that I would have to investigate the possiblity of deferring my application to 'fall' of 2016, because it would give me a year in industry to not only raise funds, but to further my portfolio and industry knowledge whilst having a break from education. But now, I'm not so sure that this route is entirely necessary (many others have made it into the industry without acquiring this MFA degree at all) and have cancelled my application altogether for the time being. 
Sometime in years to come I may apply again, but whilst 

• the course is still in it's infancy
• i'm hungry to get out in the working world with a break from education
• I'm not quite ready to move over to the 'States on a more permanent basis
• My funds aren't satisfactory for this kind of move

...I think it's best to postpone this idea for another time in my life.

Having said all of this with my sensible brain on, I'm still longing for this fast-paced, dream career in the US in the Themed Entertainment industry, and have applied to a series of internships on Disney's 'Pro Interns' program:

As you can see, the site is aimed at 'students and recent grads' so I jumped at the chance to apply. I felt like I would have quite a good chance at it because of having worked there last summer. (then again, it is a humongous company...)

I applied to 4 different internships (the Disney J1 Cultural Exchange Program is my International College Program I did last summer):

The first I applied to was an internship at Disney's Yellow Shoes. DYS is responsible for all of the marketing for the Disney Parks - I really love their work cos it's so playful and magical, not just like regular advertising (obviously it's amazing, it's Disney!) I first saw their work in 2nd Year when we were studying web design and came across their website for promoting the New Fantasyland section of the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort in Florida:

www.findingfantasyland.com

As you can see, it's experience based design that leans more toward the Themed Entertainment Industry rather than marketing or advertising. 

I was also drawn to it because it asks for a Graphic Designers' role, which I will obviously be qualified in upon arrival.

The 'role' description is as follows:

Yellow Shoes Assoc Interactive Art Director/Design Intern, FL- Fall 

Segment Overview: Since its opening in 1971, the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL has grown to feature four theme parks – the Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. In addition, more than 20 themed resort hotels, two water parks, and the Downtown Disney Area, a daytime and nighttime entertainment complex, are part of the Walt Disney World Resort.

Department Overview: Do you live for the Big Idea? Do you know how to make something emotional that people will want to connect with? Do you geek out about typography and design? If so, we’d love to hear from you! We’re Disney Yellow Shoes, the award-winning, in-house creative shop for Disney Destinations. Every day, we have fun creating compelling, memorable work for one of the greatest brands on the planet, and we’re looking for one very talented Art Director/Graphic Design Intern to join us. For an example of one of our recent projects please visit www.findingfantasyland.com

Obviously, it says 'interactive' which means it will concern more digital design. Even though I've worked with mostly print-based design in the past, I've jumped on this with both feet as I know I'll be working in a team and that I'm also interested to learn digital design and animation - you can do a lot more to create an experience for the user if it's digital or interactive!

I also applied to a very-similar-but-not-the-same position at DYS but not interactive or digital.

I applied to another Role opening in the Creative Entertainment Department, which is amazing too (I'm torn!) because it concerns things created for actually inside of the park, which is really where I dream to be, if I'm honest. 

the role description is as follows:

Creative Entertainment Art Design Internship, FL/CA – Fall 2015

Segment Overview: The Disney Theme Parks and Resorts are not just home to Disney’s beloved characters but are also the place “Where Dreams Come True.” The Walt Disney Parks and Resorts segment traces its roots to 1952, when Walt Disney formed what is today known as Walt Disney Imagineering to build Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Since then, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has grown to encompass Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, and Adventures by Disney, and five resort locations (encompassing 11 theme parks) on three continents.

Department Overview: Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Creative Entertainment is a dynamic entertainment environment, offering nothing less than the perfect show for millions of guests worldwide. An integral part of this organization is the Show Development & Production Design department that is responsible for the development of designs/scenic treatments/logos/graphics for live shows including parades, stage shows and special events on and off the Disney property and onboard the Disney Cruise Line.

How exciting is that! As I interpret this description, it says to me that I would be producing Graphic Design for the ever-evolving shows, parades and special events in all of the parks. It is almost the same as creating designs for the rides themselves, as you know is my ultimate career dream! 

My final application is the one I'm longing for the most as it is at Walt Disney Imagineering - the team responsible for all of the Graphics and signage for the rides, shows, environmental designs WITHIN THE PARKS. Dream job alert!!

Here is the role description:

Graphic Design Internship, Orlando, Summer 2015

Segment Overview: Walt Disney Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company. Its talented corps of Imagineers is responsible for the creation - from concept initiation through installation - of all Disney Resorts, theme parks and attractions, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, and new media projects. Imagineering is headquartered in Glendale, California, with affiliated offices and facilities in North Hollywood, California and Celebration, Florida; as well as satellite branches at every Disney Theme Park location around the world.

Department Overview: This department is the Environmental Graphic Design team within Walt Disney Imagineering that develops signage and show graphics to help tell the stories throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.

To me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I should take whilst I am still a student and is available to me in the position I am in. As of today, 2nd March 2015, three out of the four applications are 'in progress' which I am delighted about. I'm so excited cos if I'm accepted it should blend seamlessly at the end of my course at Leeds. It would be the cherry on top of a fantastic three years and a springboard into the rest of my life in my dream job! 

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Comparing October 2014 presentation to February 2015

I delivered this first presentation in October 2014. In retrospect, I realise that a lot of the ideas and briefs that I wrote weren't really in any firm direction, or at least not in the direction that I actually intend to pursue after university. Reflecting on how I felt at the start of the year, I think I was still very much in 'holiday mode'. After having such a blast in the summer working abroad, and having made no focussed graphic design development over summer (just made connections etc) (I didn't realise it at the time) but I wrote all of my briefs based on things I already knew how to do, that I knew I could do well, like packaging. Truth is, my chosen career path of themed entertainment design doesn't encompass packaging so much as signage and lettering.

In my new presentation, I realised that my career has been taken in a different direction and started by re-evaluating how I was presented through my manifesto. It's taken me from February since October to realise what I was doing wrong, and so you can see my portfolio has suffered. I feel like I've lost a lot of time, and that my portfolio is weak. I have applied to internships for after university at Disney in FL, but feel like I don't deserve it because I don't feel proud of my portfolio and I know I can do better. I have applied to lots of different places because I want to gain experience and prove how good I really am. I was disappointed with my dissertation mark because although I am not necessarily a grade-chaser, it was saddening that even when I tried my very hardest, my hardest was only 'average' on paper. I heavily let myself down with the practical element of the dissertation, because I procrastinated too much, worrying that I couldn't make it as perfect as I had determined in my mind. But, on a positive note, I have written and planned out my last few months at uni and planned on how to make my portfolio perfect. The pressure is now on to perfect it and keep spreading myself around and hopefully get a job in my dream career sector. I have had a hiccup because I lost my direction for a moment, but now I have my eyes on the prize!!

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Inspiration and Development - Life Drawing Society

I have recently joined the Life Drawing Society at Leeds College of Art because I want to get back into drawing again, what with my dabbling with my Bamboo Tablet  - I think that being able to draw people will help with my concept art. Plus, people are really hard to draw and I think that it's always useful to be able to have this skill. Drawing hands isn't my strong point!

I attended the session yesterday and was a little rusty at first, but then seemed to pick up where I left off in college which boosted my confidence a lot. Plus, I wrestled with a HUGE spider which fell off the lecture theatre's ceiling, which is an achievement in itself.

Here are some pictures of my sketches produced in the session:

In the first part of the session, I was a bit rusty as I had not drawn like this in years - I tried to focus on the parts I had trouble drawing like hands and feet and I usually had trouble drawing the correct length of limbs.

the second part of the session was a bit better, and I produced something that actually bared resemblance to the man in front of us! 

The final part of the session was the most successful, but it didn't really challenge me because the most difficult parts - the hands and feet, weren't on show so much...

Unfortunately, I doubt that I'll get much chance to attend many sessions, but I'll try to go as often as possible.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Contacting Merlin Entertainment

With the idea that I may be deferring my plans for a masters degree program until Autumn 2016, I am also looking into aspects of the Themed Entertainment Industry here in the UK.

Back in October/ November I emailed about 20-odd different people in search for the creative department for Graphic Designers at Merlin Entertainment, a huge Themed Entertainment company here in the UK responsible for tourist attractions such as Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, The London Eye, The Sea Life Centres, Madame Tussaud's, to just name a few! 

I got some luck with a response from a guy called Mark Oakley, who CC'd the 'Head Wizard' at Merlin Creatives into our email thread!

I got this lovely, friendly quick response from Theo, the Head Wizard:

I was so excited by this, I gave him a call on the Thursday. It was a great discussion, he fully explained everything they do/ don't do and said he wanted to look at my portfolio! I emailed him a link to my Behance page before calling him. He suggested he send me a 'test brief' and a potential work placement! I was overjoyed! 

He told me to email him with my availability dates for a potential studio visit during December (November is a very busy time with preparing for Christmas). I sent him an email with all of these details.

But I never got a reply...

He never ended up sending me a 'test brief' either. I emailed him a couple of times and triple checked the address to make sure I had the right contact details, and gave him a couple of calls that were met with an answer machine.

And this is where I have left it. It's really disappointing, but I don't want to call excessively or anything, so just trying to work out what to do next!

OUGD602 - PPP3 - A Design Strategy - Disneyland Paris Graphic Design

I just wanted to post this on my PPP blog as it is a video I've been watching a lot recently. The lady in the video is Julia Gregory, and she is a Graphic Designer at Walt Disney Imagineering for Disneyland Paris. 

It wasn't until I saw this video a couple of months ago that I truly understood where I could fit into Themed Entertainment Design with the career path/ degree I have followed. I love this video because she is creating the work I wish to be creating, in the job I wish I had! She is so inspirational to me, I wanted to get into contact with her - but cannot seem to find her anywhere! I posted the video on my LinkedIn account but no luck!

I have since been using this video to direct myself in my studies and in my Context of Practice module.