CompArts

design portfolios Bauhaus: Art as Life exhibition designWhitechapel Gallery:Giuseppe Penone –Spazio Di LucepublicationThe Hepworth Wakefield brand identity Toogood brand identity

michael c place Timothy Saccenti – Portraits #01 BookcrEativE dirEctor,Build Build – Blood, Sweat & 11 Years Design Museum /What does Build do for a portfolio? Barber OsgerbyWe have our website, which serves as a – In The Makingfirst port of call for prospective clients.Then we have a PDF library of individualprojects that we can use to make specificpresentations based on a client’s needs. Wedo printed versions for certain types ofclients, and certainly for face-to-facepresentations. We do this as it makes for amore fluid and less rigid meeting – peoplecan pass stuff around, re-order things,scribble on things and so on.What about hiring a photographer,illustrator, or other discipline – how doyou like to see the work presented?Initially I feel a good website suffices. Butwith a photographer there’s nothing worsethan small images on a site – clicking onthe ‘Enlarge’ button to be presented with afractionally larger image does my nut in!The old adage ‘Keep it simple’ is key. Don’tmake someone have to root around; keepit functional. Once an initial selection hasbeen made, face-to-face meetings aregreat, allowing for a more in-depth chatabout projects, timeframes and so on.What advice would you give to someoneputting together a portfolio?When you approach a studio for a portfolioreview, do your research, know a bit aboutthe studio. It goes a long way if you knowwhat kind of work they do, who the keypersonnel are and so on.www.wearebuild.com w w w. c o m p u t e r a r t s . c o . u k - 52 -

design portfoliosBuild uses printed versions of its projects for face-to-face meetings with certain clients The Stow Brothers – branding PlusPlus – TV channel brandingGeneration Virgin America – website illustration and animationPress –direct mail

Kirsty Carter and Emma Thomas not met before.” It’s a view echoed by Michael For Michael C Place, the opposite alsorun the highly respected studio APFEL C Place: “I personally wouldn’t hire someone holds true: “I’m always slightly disappointed(A Practice for Everyday Life), working purely on their online presence,” he says. when someone who says they are reallymainly on arts-related projects. Their “Face-to-face presentations are really key. It interested in print, then turns up with anpreference is for prospective candidates massively helps the prospective employer in iPad or MacBook. Thankfully we haven’tto show a clean and coherent collection terms of ‘vetting’ the actual person as much had any digital designers turn up with justof work: “Perhaps only the top projects, that as seeing the work. How does the person a sketchbook,” he laughs.would take an hour – max – to present, with present themselves? Do they have good socialno projects where the candidate feels like skills? Can they talk about their work in an The eThical quesTionthey have to say: ‘If only we had more money’ eloquent manner? A huge part of working in There is one other major consideration whenor, ‘That bit of it didn’t quite work, but this a studio, and especially a small studio, is presenting a portfolio that dwarfs all thebit…’. and so on,” they argue. “All the work social skills. Asking yourself if you can get on other issues. Is the work you are showingshould be at a point where the candidate feels with someone is a big question. To have good really yours? Amongst friends who runproud of it and that they could not have done work is a complete given, but whether that studios, this matter is a constant source ofany better. Passion and energy goes a long person can fit in, is massively important too.” irritation. When designers leave a studio theyway in persuading someone they are right for rightly want to show the projects they have worked on. But what is the ethical imperativethe job; everyone wants to be around happy, digiTal or physical?driven and passionate people who inspire.” If your work is entirely in the digital realm, it to say exactly what they contributed to eachnoT jusT The Work makes sense to show it digitally. “We almost project? For APFEL, it’s a burning issue: “The biggest sin is when designers thinkCarter and Thomas raise the it is okay to present work they havecrucial point that a portfolio “WHEN THE PRESSURE IS produced for a previous employersession is never just about the or on an internship withoutwork on show. It’s also about how ON, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE crediting that company or beingyou conduct yourself. Could they TO COMMUNICATE WELL, honest about which part of theever, I wondered, envisage hiring project they did. It can be verysomeone purely on their online TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND confusing and misleading.”presence? “In terms of graphic SHOW INITIATIvE” Both Carter and Thomasdesigners working with us, it’s very acknowledge the complexitiesimportant to meet face-to-face, -KIRSTY CARTER & EMMA THOMAS - of studio authorship: “We totallyevery time! Even for an - APFEl - understand if they worked for ainternship,” they note. “When you company for a long time, andare a small studio of seven people, they have worked on somethingthe personalities in that room alone, or even if they have had aworking together can really make a always present to our clients on screen,” big part in making it and want to put it indifference. You are working in close notes Hamish Makgill, “so I am more than their portfolio. But it’s really important toproximity and people getting along well comfortable with digital presentations. They acknowledge that it was developed whilstmakes a real difference to the happiness should always be personalised and carefully working or freelancing at that company andof everyone – you need a real balance of sequenced. I prefer laptop to iPad, as the the credit and copyright still remain withpersonalities. Also, someone could be finger marks and hand gestures on the iPad that particular company. You’d be surprisedvery talented creatively and write a brilliant are a little off-putting.” But is he still keen to at the amount of times we have seen workcovering letter, but then you meet them see non-digital specimens of work? “Yes, I do duplicated amongst designers, with eachin person and they are quiet, timid and like to see real examples of printed work in claiming it to be their own.”reserved, and like working alone. That support of the presentation.” For APFEL, the matter is best dealtis never going to work in our studio Carter and Thomas share Makgill’s with by total honesty: “It is such an easyenvironment. When the pressure is on, desire to see a presentation that shows the thing to explain – especially online, whereyou need to be able to communicate well, work in its best light. “If you are showing a there is a real value in telling a little more,”take responsibility and show initiative.” publication as a project, bring it along,” they they note. “You then really get a grasp ofHamish Makgill is equally emphatic advise. “If you have built a website, show it as what people have experience doing, whaton this point: “When it comes to hiring a a website. For an invite, bring the real printed they haven’t done and also what they aredesigner to work in the studio with us it is version of it too. It can be disappointing in a good and bad at. You can then see how thisessential that we all meet them. I could never one-to-one interview, to only see images of fits better with the other people who arehire someone that the rest of the team had projects that are already on their website.” already working at APFEL.  w w w. c o m p u t e r a r t s . c o . u k - 54 -

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Video insight APRIL 2015BRUNO MAAG STUART BROWN RiccARdO de FRANceSchi chairman, dalton maag tYpeFace designer tYpeFace designersince founding dalton maag in 1991, bruno stuart worked as a book typographer originally from italy, riccardo gained ahas grown it from a one-man back-bedroom for a number of london-based master’s degree in typeface design at theoperation into a 50-strong studio with publishers and freelanced his talents university of reading before joining daltonclients including nokia, hp, intel and lush. prior to joining dalton maag in 2012. maag in February 2014. c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 56 -

APRIL 2015 Video insight video EXCLUSIVE VIDEO content THE POWER watch the videos at OF TYPE bit.ly/ca238-daltoNMaaG or iN our ipad editioN see page 44 PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY: pete gray Specialising in bespoke type for brands, Dalton Maag has briXton, grown hugely in recent years – london thanks to one seminal project www.daltonmaag.com D alton Maag has humble origins. Founded by Bruno Maag in a back bedroom in 1991, the studio grew organically to six staff by the early 2000s, working on custom type commissions for major brands including Tesco and BMW. Then a brief landed that would completely transform the company’s fortunes: a four-year global project for Nokia. “Within two years, we had nearly ten-folded our staff levels, and we are now just about 50 full-time people altogether,” recalls Maag. “Since then we have done work with Intel and HP, and all three projects are multilingual on a global level. Nokia and subsequent work has meant that we have really grown into a leading studio for typeface design.” Here, Maag talks through the development of the studio in more detail, and the wonders that custom type can do for a brand… You made a decision when Nokia hit to expand with full-time designers rather than freelancers. Was that a concern, in terms of sustaining that many people once the project finished? The type industry is extremely specialised, so it’s very difficult to find good-quality freelance help, and every studio has their own process and their own ways of working. And for a project like Nokia, as well as design requirements you also have technical and language requirements. The decision to grow staff was simply in order to maintain quality, and then of course we hoped to be in a position to attract more large projects to maintain the staff numbers and keep people in work. Everyone that starts at Dalton Maag goes through a three-month programme, and we could never do that with freelance staff. Is it a challenge convincing a client of the value of a custom typeface for their brand? Yes, every single time! A custom typeface is a big investment in terms of money, and it’s also a big investment in terms of time. End-clients are not typographically aware, and you have to guide them to the fact that the way you speak typographically is the way you dress, the way c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 57 -

Video insight APRIL 2015 video case study one:HanDWRITInG FOnT FOR LUSH lush lettering in 2013, dalton maag was approached by lush and asked to help the company rebrand itself in a more neutral and contemporary way. “they wanted a tool that would allow them to set text in a way which was comparable to the handwritten style they use all over the place,” says typeface designer riccardo de Franceschi. “so we collected as many samples of letters as possible from them, selected the styles we found most appropriate and came up with five different digital versions.” every letter had two alternate versions, while the most-used letters had three alternates. “on top of these we created ligatures, and selected them according to not only frequency of use but also the way the lush handwriters write, and therefore what letter pair combinations would ligate.” Find out more about the project at www.bit.ly/ca238-daltonmaagWatch the videos now on our youtube channel: www.bit.ly/ca238-daltonmaag c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 58 -

APRIL 2015 Video insight video case study tWo: you drive a car, the way you communicate every single day, and you need to take that into account.mICHEL LOGOTYPE But quite often those arguments are less impactful, Original and it’s the finances and the logistics that, in the end, Rework convince the client – particularly big corporates – of the return on investment of their own typeface.subtle reFinements What can type do to define a brand’s tone of voice? It’s difficult to measure the emotional qualities of athis small project was for a well-established premium juice brand made by rivella and typeface, but through cultural conditioning, if youinvolved a refinement of the logotype. “the idea was to do something which honoured wish, we can now say, okay, a grotesque typefacethe heritage of the logotype but also brought it into line more calligraphically and more such as Univers or Helvetica, feels more masculine,consistently in terms of how the letterforms are treated,” explains designer stuart brown. more mechanical, more engineered and a bit colder“the original logotype is on the top and the modification on the bottom [see above]. You can and less approachable than, say, Frutiger, which is asee how we sharpened up the connections. the existing logo looked rather lumpy and not so humanist sans-serif, so more open, warm, friendlywell-defined at smaller sizes, so on packaging it tended to blur a little. the original also had and approachable. Serifs may have the appearance ofsome weight distribution and contrast issues, so the work in the modification was to address being old-fashioned or bookish. So, you can steer thethat imbalance.” Find out more about the project at www.bit.ly/ca238-daltonmaag tone of voice, you can shout or you can be quiet. Many of your clients are other design agencies, so you’re working for a brand indirectly. How early in the process would Dalton Maag be involved? Often we find that we are involved too late in a project, and I can understand why that is so. Say an agency is approached to do a branding project: they do the pitch work, the concept work, the client signs it off, and then we’re approached and say, ‘Oh, could you maybe do a custom font?’ By which point all the basic defined parameters are already set in stone, so we then work within very narrow parameters and possibly are not able to do as valuable a job as we potentially could do if we were involved earlier. Of course, bringing us in at an early stage may increase the cost on the pitch work, which the agency potentially cannot offset to the client. But I would encourage any agency to contact us as early as possible – even if it’s just an initial conversation to say hey, these are the ideas that we could explore. By involving us earlier, we can also discuss with the agency not only the design challenges we face, but also the technology challenges, language support and everything else. A branding agency may not be able to foresee and predict all the challenges of using a given typeface, be it off the shelf or a custom typeface. You’ve worked with many major global agencies now, including Wolff Olins, Futurebrand, Brand Union and Landor. Is the situation improving? Slowly, we’re finding that the attitude is changing, and it’s partly to do with the fact that I’m going out there and saying: ‘Bring us in early: it’s not going to cost you anything, just talk to me as early as possible and then I can actually advise you properly.’ We are also trying to come up with ways where we can practically help the agency – for example, investing a couple of days to do some sketches of a typeface for a client pitch, and then deal with the potential financial rewards at a later stage if the project comes off. Type, and fonts, are becoming more complex because of the digital world now. Everyone needs to work digitally, and everyone finds that the fonts don’t look great on the website. We want agencies to say, ‘We’ve tested this. What can we do? Let’s give Dalton Maag a call. They’re the specialists; they’re the guys who know how to make this happen.’Watch the videos now on our youtube channel: www.bit.ly/ca238-daltonmaag c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 59 -



IMPRESS A CREATIVE DIRECTOR HOW TO IMPRESS a CREaTIVE DIRECTOR A panel of leading creative directors reveal what really catches their eye in a new recruit’s design portfolioWords: Has it ever been easy to land a great job in the design to guess what’s expected of you, the best thing to do isGarrick Webster industry? Probably not. But today’s recruits do face to focus on your work and let it guide your decisions. a unique set of challenges and how to present aIllustratIon: portfolio is one of the biggest. “I do like a physical portfolio – an iPad presentationMister Phil can be good too,” muses Karen Jane, head of design atwww.misterphil.co.uk As we’ve already discussed on page 46, portfolio Wieden+Kennedy London. “Ultimately, your discipline is formats are evolving all the time. Just as big agencies and likely to dictate how the work is best presented. If you studios struggle with how best to present work to potential have a range of work you may want to present on screen clients, designers searching for jobs have all sorts of but have some printed pieces too. Or your work may be decisions to make when it comes to creating a stunning entirely screen based. It’s about putting the work across portfolio to show a creative director. in the best way.” Do you put it up on Behance and email out a link Working in a big, global agency with so many when you apply for a job? Should you make a flashy iPad different clients, Jane oversees a huge variety of projects. presentation to swipe through in the interview? Would it So it makes sense if you’re aiming to work for a big agency be better to buy a big, old-fashioned folio book and fill it to develop a portfolio that demonstrates your versatility. with high quality print-outs of your latest and greatest “A range of work is really important, one that shows off projects? Maybe something even more imaginative is how you tackle different projects. The range of projects what’s expected? we work on here at Wieden+Kennedy is pretty broad so it’s good to be able to see versatility in a portfolio.” It would be lovely if there was one sure-fire answer to all of these questions, but really it depends hugely on Employing 10 people – though they’re hiring a few who’s doing the hiring. Every creative director has different more designers – Leeds-based Golden is much smaller needs in terms of the job itself, and they all have different than W+K, so co-founder and creative director Rob tastes when it comes to presentation. But instead of trying Brearley takes a slightly different approach to portfolios. KaRen Jane KJetil Wold steve RichaRdson Jem Robinson Head of design, C r e at i v e Creative direCtor C r e at i v e Wieden+Kennedy direCtor and and Co-foUnder, direCtor, london Co-foUnder, anti Mr B & friends allofUsKaren has been working at W+K Based in oslo, Kjetil leads teams steve has been working in the Jem has 10 years of designfor eight years now, starting as a at multidisciplinary agency creative industries since 1990, experience under her belt, withdesigner, then as an art director, anti, covering identity design, including spells at interbrand/ddB five of them in UX/interactionthen as design lead, and finally advertising, tv production, in new Zealand and london-based design in particular. she overseesbecoming head of design. illustration and fashion. agencies Bell and the field. the design team at allofUs.www.wklondon.com www.anti.as www.mrbandfriends.co.uk www.allofus.com c O M P U T E R A R T S .c R E AT I v E B LO q .c O M - 61 -

industry issues APRIl 2015SIx Of THE bEST PORTfOlIO HOSTS Personality often plays an important role in a small organisation, and showing that you understand theWhether you’re a freelancer or are looking to work studio and its mission helps.on-staff, it’s a good idea to have an online portfolio.Here are some of the best options “We’re looking for ‘golden people’ who share our vision, talented visual thinkers, who can turn their handBehance to anything,” says Brearley.www.behance.comA basic site is free, but a professional area costs $11/month. Template options “Initially I’d prefer to be contacted with either aand 2GB of space are part of the free package while the paid-for version link or PDF attachment of work examples – a brief, well-gives you a customised URL and the ability to show HD imagery and videos. presented taster of who you are and what you can do,” hecargo collective continues. “For face-to-face interviews, I don’t mind whatwww.cargocollective.com format the work is presented in, either print or digital.You have to apply to join this portfolio site – presumably they check your The format should be invisible, allowing the work to shinecreative cred before approving you. The free version offers 100MB of space through. It should be bold, simple and ultimately relevantfor your projects but when you pay it’s unlimited. Some HTML and cSS skills to the work and the personality of the presenter. Foliomay be required to get your area looking just so. presentations should flow smoothly, without awkwardSquareSpace paper folds or software glitches. Think it through carefully.”www.squarespace.comThis solution is very ‘in’ at the moment. The excellent templates result in a SnaPSHOT Of SkIllSslick style of presentation that makes it easy for visitors to focus on your work.It starts at $8/month with 2GB of storage space and 500GB of bandwidth. It’s a similar story if you apply to Steve Richardson,tumBlr co-founder and creative director at Mr B & Friends inwww.tumblr.com Bath. The agency started off small but has grown fastGrab a theme, or bring your own coding skills to the party, and turn a Tumblr and roles they’re recruiting for include artworkers andaccount into so much more than a mere social media page. It’s a very versatile middleweight developers. There might also be a spotplatform and you don’t need to worry about hosting. coming up for a senior creative. What Richardson looksindexhiBit for is a practical and direct form of presentation.www.indexhibit.orgMinimalist, modernist, easy to use. Set your portfolio up on Indexhibit and it’ll “I don’t mind how someone shows their portfolio,appear as though it’s in an extremely unfussy art gallery. Plain backgrounds, as long as it gives a really good snapshot of their skills andclear type, simple captions and you’re away. It costs $15 to sign up with their talent,” he explains. “If you’re a digital creative I’d expectweb hosting partner. a web-based format like Behance or Squarespace, or yourBerta own design and development work. If not, a really wellwww.berta.me considered PDF at email-able size – under 5MB. If IThis is the fun underdog. A joint collaboration between designers in Latvia, see you in person, either print or a laptop or tabletThe Netherlands and San Francisco, it’s an open-source, simple, flexible presentation is fine.”online tool for creating websites. Prices are pretty reasonable, they host, andyou get the feeling that this young startup gets the whole portfolio ordeal. If impressed, a creative director like RichardsonTheir ‘happy websites’ look great too. will then want to find out what you’re really like via an interview. As with Golden, it’s a case of proving you’re the person they’re looking for in terms of work and personality. “I’m much more interested in the individual, hearing from them what they have achieved and what makes them tick, c O M P U T E R A R T S .c R E AT I v E B LO q .c O M - 62 -

IMPRESS A CREATIVE DIRECTORto make sure the cultural fit is right for my team. Then it’s see if your personality and the arguments behind yourabout the portfolio, how they present, is the candidate solution actually match what we’re looking for.”engaging, do they look interested, have they credibly donethis work and can they talk about it fully,” says Richardson. Most effective graphic design, online or motion graphics projects require more than one set of hands. Telling your story, as well as the stories behind your If you’re including big pieces of work in your portfolio thatwork, is a crucial criterion for a successful portfolio if had many contributors, be sure to explain not just theyou’re applying to Kjetil Wold at the Norwegian agency project but what your role was. If you’re vague about this,Anti. Wold is co-founder, creative director and consultant or try to claim more kudos than you deserve, it might tripwith the company, where there’s a growing emphasis on you up in the end.motion at the moment. Because motion work requiresnarrative, Richardson is keen to find designers and Jem Robinson is creative director at AllofUs, aanimators who understand this. The ability to explain major digital agency in London specialising in interactionconcepts and show purpose is what he looks for. and user experience design. “I like to see a web portfolio first, be it on a site like Behance or Tumblr or their own “We always look for people who understand custom website,” she says. “I’m not fussy as long as theconcepts and storytelling, and can make excellent visuals. work is easy to see, with clear explanation of theirWe want to see work that’s anchored in a reason for being involvement and the project brief. We’re a user experiencethere. Right now we’re searching for more motion-graphic led design agency, so it makes sense to send me to a sitedesigners because everything needs to be in motion these that has a good user experience. No unnecessarydays,” he says. “The best thing is to start off with an online elements that get in the way of my primary purpose,reference to give us a reason to say, ‘Hi’. It could be a link which is to look at the quality of your work.”to your work on Behance, or impress us even more with awell-designed personal site. Then we might meet up and She continues: “Receiving a link in an introductory email works, then if we’re interested we’ll call people in CaSE STuDy: Three months ago, Håkon Stensholt joined Anti after being recruited by the founding HåkOn STEnSHOlT partners Kjetil Wold and Kenneth Pedersen as well as creative director Gaute Tenold Aase. He works a graphic designer, mainly on visual identities.a new recruit at anti,Håkon stensholt came from “The portfolio I sent to Anti was a PDF with samples of my best work,” he says. “I havea print background and uses a background as a print designer, so most of my work is printed matter. But I still try toPdfs and his website to show a variation in the projects I include such as books, posters, websites and variouspresent his portfolio identities. I hope my portfolio reflects my personality as well as saying that I am a skilled graphic designer with good ideas and a creative mind.” He still has a website, which shows some of his older work and he changes the images and text now and again, although he hasn’t added any of his work from Anti to it. He’ll do the same with his portfolio, keeping the PDF under 10MB so it’s easy to send. So far, the job is going well and he’s been involved in plenty of projects. “My best tip would be to make sure your work is presented in the best way possible,” he says. “Make it simple and clean. Make sure your work presents you as a multifaceted graphic designer, and doesn’t only focus on one skill. A good, classic tip is to start and end your portfolio with your best projects. But make sure you make a good selection, and don’t show too many projects.”c O M P U T E R A R T S .c R E AT I v E B LO q .c O M - 63 -

industry issues APRIl 2015 to chat to them. At this stage we tend to just chat, but you get to interview stage. It may help you explain how bringing additional works on an iPad or laptop is useful you solved a design problem, which is interview gold dust. thing to do here.” As your career moves forward, your portfolio How many pieces of work should you include in needs to evolve. It’s not just a case of adding new things your portfolio? Well, for Jem Robinson at least five to it, or heightening the visual quality of the work. The projects of a decent size is ideal, and for each one she’d selection of items will also need to demonstrate that like to see images of different aspects of the job. For Kjetil you are growing as a professional. Wold, five is again the magic number, but he emphasises that each piece needs to be killer. If you’re not sure in your “I think the more senior you are as a designer the heart that something is good, then you should leave it out. more you can curate your work selection, because you’ll have more to choose from at that stage in your career,” “One watch-out is to not put anything in your says W+K’s Karen Jane. “Being a good judge of work also portfolio that you don’t feel really good about – it can becomes more important. As a key part of the creative end up tainting the book and will be hard to talk about team here at Wieden+Kennedy a senior designer would enthusiastically,” says Karen Jane at W+K. “But don’t need to lead the direction of the work, so judgement is confuse this with something that was experimental key. You may show fewer projects, but they will show the that didn’t work out. We talk a lot at Wieden about breadth of your capabilities – that you can tackle a variety embracing failure through taking creative risks – those of design problems including larger more complex pieces kind of projects can be great conversation pieces.” – and these will all be stellar projects. If you’re including several images for each portfolio She continues: “I think when you are more junior piece, remember that they don’t all need to show aspects you are more likely to show a few more, smaller projects of the final output. Some of your sketches, concepts, and have lots of ideas, energy and experimentation. At written thoughts or work-in-progress projects might help that level it’s about trying things out, seeing what sticks, you tell the story behind the piece better, particularly if moving things forwards. And it’s more about seeing the CaSE STuDy: Last year, illustrator Damien Weighill landed freelance work on a project for AllofUs DaMIEn WEIgHIll creative director Jem Robinson. The project hasn’t been launched so we can’t show it, but Robinson thought he was the ideal person for it. It began with his portfolio andas a freelance illustrator, went on to an interview before he was brought onboard.damien Weighill has severalportfolios, and the work in Weighill has several portfolios that clients can look at – two online and two printed.them won him a tidy bit of One is on his agent Jelly’s website, which is carefully selected. “First I send the guyswork from allofUs there everything that I produce which I feel has been a success. They will put together the portfolio from that pool of images and then between us we will periodically discuss whether anything should be added or dropped. It’s invaluable for me to get Jelly’s input as they are constantly doing the agency rounds, showing and discussing my work, and they have experience in that side of things that I certainly don’t.” He also has a portfolio site of his own (www.damienweighill.com) and hired EnjoyThis to create it. It shows a selection of 36 pieces of work, all hand drawn by Weighill. If one of his illustrations appears in a magazine, rather than photograph it he draws a picture of the magazine. It’s a nice touch that emphasises his unique approach. “I definitely see my portfolio website as the most important promotional tool I have. Most of the ways that I manage to get my work seen will end up pointing them back there,” he says. c O M P U T E R A R T S .c R E AT I v E B LO q .c O M - 64 -

IMPRESS A CREATIVE DIRECTORraw ingredients: interesting thinking, craft skills and a of the time. However, a few things have been made clear.wide interest in design.” If you can pick your five best pieces of work, demonstrate a decent level of versatility, and are able to tell the story Do creative directors want to see self-initiated behind the projects then your portfolio will be off to aprojects? If you’re going for a junior role, definitely. Many great start. Be sure to express your personality in there,of them enjoy seeing what the new blood in the industry demonstrate your professional skills, and be ready to tellare up to. “In a junior designer’s portfolio I want evidence your own story too. If you can do these things, chancesof them being hungry, referring to self-initiated projects are you’re well on your way to landing your dream job.and giving us a view into something new. You should showyou want to learn, that you’re fast, and that you understandconcepts,” says Kjetil Wold at Anti.ClIMbIng THE laDDER ROCk-SOlID PORTfOlIO aDVICEWhen you move on to applying for middleweight positions, Hiring creative directors at five top designclient work must come to the fore – show you can work agencies give the inside track on how tofrom a brief and come up with solutions, or execute other impress thempeople’s ideas. “It needs to show consistent, solid designskills on larger scale projects as part of a more senior tailor your projectteam,” says Jem Robinson at AllofUs. “You might not “Make sure your portfolio is a genuine representation of younecessarily be the one originating the design, but with a bit and the work you want to do more of,” says Karen Jane atof good art direction you can show you were able to pick Wieden+Kennedy London. “Tailor your work selection to theup a project and run with it, create assets and demonstrate conversations you want to have when you are presenting it.”some flair and design abilities.” weave a narrative “Remember the storytelling; anyone can mock up a good For senior design roles, the creative director is visual,” points out Anti’s Kjetil Wold.looking for leadership and good judgment as much as keep it preSentaBlegreat design skills. “A senior design position is tricky, we “Your portfolio itself – the container that holds your work – isfind it means different things in different agencies,” says also an opportunity to show that you can design and demonstrateRob Brearley at Golden. “I think a senior designer should that you understand audience needs, so design that too,” adviseshave credible experience across key areas of the role: Jem Robinson at AllofUs. “If the work is great but the portfolioideation, art direction, leadership, responsibility and site it sits on is a mess, I’ll reject it.”design competence. We would expect a senior to adapt pick your BeStto various briefs. We look for a breadth of diverse work, “Include your best, and only your best work,” is the top tip fromshowing evidence of leadership and client interaction.” Mr B & Friends founder Steve Richardson. “Don’t pad it out andBrearley adds: “At this level they should be proficient don’t present work that is not yours. You’ll be amazed how manyin most design software, feel comfortable art-directing people in the industry know each other.”photoshoots and capable of bringing their ideas through Stay genuineto finished artwork.” “Be true to yourself,” urges Rob Brearley at Golden. “Don’t ever take a job you hate just to pay the bills.” As you can see, there’s no widespread consensusas to what makes a winning portfolio and no magic formulafor creating one. creative directors at different studiosand agencies are looking for slightly different things a lotc O M P U T E R A R T S .c R E AT I v E B LO q .c O M - 65 -

In conversatIon April 2015 searchIng for magIc Swedish art director and image makerClara Terne’s diverse folio is held together by apassion for storytelling – with any tools available clara terne Clara is an art director, illustrator and image-maker based in Stockholm. She works alone and in collaboration, and has an interest in technology and visual expression. www.terne.seWords: martin cooperPhotograPhy:christopher Huntwww.christopher-hunt.com c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 66 -

April 2015 ClArA Terne c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 67 -

Left and below: terne works mainly digitally but also incorporates a lot of hand-drawn and non-digital textures into her designsC lara Terne is hard to sum Here, she tells us what she loves I’ve combined this with handmade up. And, it transpires, that about her work, and why it’s essential analogue textures. is completely intentional. to remain perennially curious, agileSo, let’s first look at the plain and and fascinated. In some ways it’s hard to see oneimmutable facts. Terne is a Swedish- single, unifying strand that runsborn art director, storyteller, When did you first become interested through your portfolio. Do you seeillustrator, image-maker and teacher. in illustration and design? a common theme, motif or storyShe studied at London College of I was always a keen artist, and as a that ties your work together?Communication, and has worked youngster I could get lost in the stories I take that as a compliment becausein agencies around the world. She I created in my head. I would spend I don’t like the idea of my work notclosed the circle by moving home hours drawing and that was where evolving. It’s nice to hear it looksto take an MA in storytelling at it all started. At some point I had an more eclectic from the outside. I’mStockholm’s Konstfack, and today epiphany – this daydreaming could interested in making work that iscontinues to live and work in be turned into a profession. relevant at the time of making it,Sweden’s capital city. and letting it evolve over time. You seem to deploy lots of different Terne’s clients include the techniques. How do you decide which I think the unifying theme is aLiljevalchs art gallery, Princeton’s is right for a particular project? search for some sort of magic. I likeAlumni Week magazine, Wired Using a variety of tools has always my work to be situated somewhereMagazine, and Pollen – a Norwegian been central in my practice, whether where it’s hard to place it in termsarchitectural magazine. it’s using paper to sculpt or print- of production tools. A comment making to make texture libraries, to I quite often get from others is Look at her body of work however, experimenting with 3D programs. that my imagery looks like stillsand things become rather less in motion work, that they’re likeclear-cut. You’ll find a collection of Rather than simultaneously using moments caught in time.pieces that embrace photography, different techniques, I go throughtexture, 3D graphics, illustration, phases. The last couple of years I What do you think is the key togenerative maths-based abstracts have mainly worked in 3D programs, telling a story in an image?and traditional illustration. The using a lot of handmade textures as a Don’t try to tell the whole story inmix is broad, and Terne is proud base. I’m fascinated by, and love, the one image. Pick an angle. Or if you’reof the fact that her portfolio control 3D environments allow. And trying to get the essence of it all indefies pigeonholing.c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 68 -

ClArA Terne Left and above: a series of images and a cover made for Wired’s special report on future tech “i think the unifying theme is a search for some sort of magic”live visuals and a generative data-driven installation for absolut vodkaa still from a short film that terne is currently working on a magazine cover for the educational journal GY, with the theme of career paths c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 69 -

terne would still bedriven to create even ifdigital tools didn’t exist My bIggesT chAllengefinding a balance Clara Terne’s professional strategyoffers clients an assured consistency yet guards against creative stagnation I often struggle to balance visual consistency automation of tasks – being able to explore and keep interested. between projects, and renewing myself in terms to create complex, data-driven or I think it makes sense to use of clients. i’ve found it takes a while for clients interactive imagery which wouldn’t be contemporary tools if you want toto request and commission work in a new technique or possible if you made them manually. create contemporary imagery. If Iexpression. if you continually do so and publish more Or they’d take such a long time to was living in a parallel universe, or aexperimental, personal projects alongside commercial make by hand. different century, I imagine I wouldwork, that allows clients to get used to – and feel more be experimenting with whatever wascomfortable commissioning – a new style or expression. What I find so inspiring with new and unexplored ground in thatNot to mention, it’s fun and healthy to do work without code as a tool, is that it is a place place in time.a brief. i also remove previous work from my site if i feel where the creator has the ability tothat i’ve moved on from that style and context, and no create the rules, write them, and Do you think technology haslonger want to be commissioned for it – otherwise clients then see the system play out. changed your work?will keep asking for that type of work. Definitely, and I really like that. I All the programs designers use see the programs I use as inanimate there, leave the details out and focus daily, Adobe and all, have been coded collaborators. I’m happy to sometimes on the big picture. I think it’s nice by a bunch of people at the start, let tools lead the way, and to let my to leave some space for the reader or with certain boundaries. I think it limited knowledge of some of my tools viewer to fill the image with their own would be very interesting to see more lead to unexpected outputs. interpretations of it. designers learning to code their own programs, and take control of their I struggle with the general view What part does code and coding production tools. that illustrations are less valuable play in your work? if created with the help of digital I really wish I could code. I have If technology – InDesign, Photoshop, tools. There seems to be a view that tried many times to get into it and and all the rest – didn’t exist, would creating digitally is cheating, and that to overcome the initial baffling wall you still be creating? it is more skillful and true to make of a foreign language. but I’ve given I imagine so. I think technology is imagery through traditional tools. up all attempts so far. To me, code such a broad term... I mean the pencil and creative technologists are so was once the height of technological Can you tell us a little about your amazingly interesting. Right now, development. And so were oil paints. Protothon project? creating through code seems to Protothon is a collaborative venture offer a huge amount of freedom. What interests me with using that came out of a personal desire new technologies is that there is In my own work, and when less (visual) legacy and more room collaborating with coders, my main interest is the visual side of coding. The main possibility I see is the c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 70 -

ClArA Terne a cover and title design for architectural magazine pollento meet and collaborate more with I don’t always manage to follow this, still from a short film terne is currently working ontechnologists. We also wanted but as a general rule I think there’sto make a platform where other a danger in allowing yourself alldesigners and coders could meet and the time in the world to work onstart collaborating. It is strange that something. Partly because it meansthere is such a divide between the you have no life, and partly because iftwo professions as we have so much there is no stop time you work reallyto gain from collaborating. slowly. I think it’s healthy to find a point where you tell yourself ‘this is Protothon mainly arranges good enough’. Tied into this is thehackathons where the aim is to have advice to not be so precious abouta 50-50 divide between coders and work once it’s finished.designers in each team. Where next? Are there any new skills cover for a special neuroscience edition of princeton’s weekly alumni mag We have done hacks with google, you’d like to learn this year? How doMicrosoft, Absolut Vodka, Reach you see your career evolving?for change amongst others so far. There’s always coding to learn, maybeAn added bonus of working with this will be the year that I finally doProtothon is that I get to art direct it… I would like to get into Unity,and do most visual output for our I’m interested in combining my 3Dhacks. Through Protothon we have imagery with interactive elements.also begun to do production work In terms of my career I have enjoyedaround creative technology. We’re where it has taken me so far. Itcurrently producing an app for a would be nice to work with largersports brand that uses running or longer projects when it comes todata to create generative patterns. my image making; a lot of editorial work has such a fast turnaround.What’s the biggest lesson you’ve For that reason I’m interested inlearned in your design career so far? moving towards motion, productsA tutor once gave me the advice: and games in the future.decide a time when you stop workingin the day, rather than when to start. c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 71 -

BACK ISSUESNever missaN issue!Catch up on any Go DiGitalissue you’ve missed from £44.99by downloading ourdigital editions per year ISSUE 237 mArCh 2015 D&AD’s top design trends Design an app interface Pick the perfect typeface Make your agent work harder Spin & Unit Editions video Take control of your fontsISSUE 236 ISSUE 235 ISSUE 234 ISSUE 233FEBrUAry 2015 JAnUAry 2015 DECEmBEr 2014 noVEmBEr 2014Discover the 10 steps to freelance Make 2015 your best year ever! Revealed: how the world’s top The Top 30 UK design studios,success, take control of your cash Plus: discover the new stars of design agencies develop a new how to deal with nightmare clients,flow, create better infographics and illustration, create custom type brand, why disciplines are dead, how to freelance your way throughmake yourself indispensable. and design a flexible brand.. and how to crowdfund your project. college, and much more.Got An APPLE DEVICE?Download Computer Arts’ multi-award-winning interactive iPad edition,or read a print replica on your iPhone or iPod Touch www.bit.ly/CA-iPad www.bit.ly/CA-iPad-US (US store)

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april 2015 INTRO PROJECTS Computer Arts goes behind the scenes with world-leading designers as they reveal their working processes… INCLUDES PRO WORKFLOW ADVICE Plus: the latest tools and tech for designers LLA: A NEW APPROACh TO AIRPORT bRANDINg Follow ico Design’s creative process as it designs a modern, flexible identity for London Luton Airport that matches the clients’ ambitions 76ThE bROSmIND STORy: SAmSUNg: mAKINgA CREATIVE LIFE mADE PAPER TEChNOLOgy TANgIbLEHow Spanish art and design Discover how Vallée Duhamelbrothers Brosmind illustrated used its lo-fi approach to conveytheir own storybook 87 a high-spec piece of tech 90PLUS: DESIgN AND PRODUCE AN ARTS CATALOgUE ShOOT PRINT WORK FOR yOUR FOLIO Follow Rose designer Harry Bingham as he creates Best-practice advice for photographing your a catalogue for London’s Serpentine Gallery 83 print projects more effectively 94 c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 75 -

LLA: A nEw APPROACh PROJECT FACTFILETO AIRPORT BRAnDIng BRIEFTasked to create a fresh visual identity for London Luton Airport, London Luton Airport commissionedico Design dispensed with tired notions of flight and motion in ico to create a new visual identity,favour of a modern, flexible solution that reflects LLA’s ambitions following approval of a multi-million pound redevelopment plan. The new brand had to reflect the change the airport is undergoing and its ambitions for the future. STUDIOS ico Design www.icodesign.com Atipo www.atipo.es PROJECT DURATIOn 18 months LIVE DATE December 2014ico design has created a new identity for London Luton Airport that avoids tired cliches of motion and direction ViVek Bhatia ThE DESIgn BRIEF was how to redefine the airport in the London market. creatiVe director Until now, it wasn’t necessarily at the forefront ofAfter completing a bA in Graphic Following the approval of a £100m redevelopment plan people’s minds that LLA is less than 30 mins from StDesign, vivek spent four years to expand and improve London Luton Airport (LLA) over Pancras, for example, so the rebrand was about forgingat publishing specialist Hamlyn the next decade, we were commissioned to help create closer and more emotional ties to London, as well asbooks, before joining ico in 2001, a new visual identity. We had previously worked with continuing to serve the Luton area and beyond.where he now oversees all creative the airport on an internal engagement project, so theyoutput. He is an associate lecturer already knew the way we worked. The brief also required working with the directorsat various London colleges and at and airport team to establish how LLA could become aiDep Design college in barcelona. There is a huge amount of investment going into passenger-centric brand, making airport travel easy and different areas of the airport – from the road network fun, and in a way that would be unique to LLA. that leads into the airport, to the terminal itself. The brand was about communicating that change and being Strategic work preceded the creative process, and future-focused. It definitely wasn’t about creating a new we organised workshops with the senior management visual identity for the sake of it, but rather to reflect the team to get them to understand what a brand is, but changes that will transform the airport. also to elicit information. Collectively they have a great knowledge of the airport and how it functions. Our role The new ‘face’ of the airport needed to carry the was to elicit what makes it different from other airports. ambition of redefining LLA as a leading airport serving How could it be improved? What conventions could be London, Luton and the surrounding regions. The brief broken? This involved practical and far-reaching ideas. c o m p u T e r A r T s .c r e AT i v e b Lo q .c o m - 76 -

DiarY˚1: ico Design Project at a glancecreative director vivek bhatia explains the process involved in branding LLA1 Complex job 2 Core essence 3 Breaking conventionWe coordinated a variety of workshops with Those workshops crystallised the notion of When we designed the logo, we wanted to breakthe airport teams, to help them understand what a ‘simplicity with a smile’. That’s what we labelled with convention and not represent flight or motion inbrand is and how LLA can become one. We have this the core essence of the brand. After presenting any way. secondly, it had to work as a symbol andapproach for every project, but for an airport it’s them back to the LLA team, that idea became the acronym of LLA to communicate the airport’ssubstantially more complex, there is more to get foundation of the work that followed. Whatever connection to London. Thirdly, it had to be flexible,your head around. we do, on a top level it reflects that. to work in a variety of ways.4 Module graphic 5 Core patterns 6 Brand coloursmany logos we tried worked aesthetically, but didn’t in addition, when the LLA marque is subdivided We were keen not to be reliant on one or two keysatisfy all our requirements. We tried many typefaces into a grid, various patterns can be extracted colours, as we didn’t want the identity to have aand logos drawn from scratch but settled on a from it. These were blown up and cropped. corporate feel. We tried having no specific brandmodule-based graphic, because it was geometric in We selected a core family of patterns that colours, but it would have been unworkable. socreating LLA and could be used as a ‘framework’ for could be used across applications to bring we settled for a collection of core colours thatcolour, image, animation and 3D. coherence but also variety. worked in pairs.7 Shades of sky 8 Modern aesthetic 9 Transforming walkwaysour final selection was inspired by the different For the typeface we needed something to express one of our first tasks was to transform the extensiveshades of the sky, be it a balmy red sunset or the values of the brand and a progressive, modern walkways for arrival and departure, to bring them tomidnight purple. This rationale helped us convince aesthetic. it would require several weights and life and reflect the ‘simplicity with a smile’ essence.the various stakeholders. it was a balance of enough personality to be distinctive. We worked We created an installation of street photography,simplicity and flexibility to communicate the with Atipo, and the iconography was developed in combined with elements of the core brand paletteenergy and vibrancy of LLA as it changes. tandem and is totally aligned to the typeface. like the graphic pattern. c o m p u T e r A r T s .c r e AT i v e b Lo q .c o m - 77 -

wORK In PROgRESS various logos and typefaces were tested out A modular marque allowed the team to explore flexibility We worked with a core team, which included myself, The modular, graphic nature of the marque allow it to be used as a framework for images and 3D iterationsstrategy director Russell Holmes, designers AkiraChatani and Mariana Santiago, and project managerWill Heaverman. We started by identifying core brandvalues for the airport going forward which would act astouch points for all aspects of the business and informthe visual identity. We expressed the essence of thebrand as ‘Simplicity with a smile’. The idea of simplicity is very difficult to achieve. Youhave to be quite ruthless in getting down to what reallymatters and how that can be executed. The idea of ‘asmile’ is about the airport becoming more customer-focused but also delivering layers of delight that makefor a more enjoyable experience. Prior to embarking on the design process weconducted quite a lot of research at competitor airports,to understand the landscape of what a visual identity isfor an airport. We needed to create something that wasbespoke to LLA, could work on many levels but whichalso broke with convention. One of the first things we understood was thatairport identities in general are trying to embody anotion of a motion or direction. This approach wasvery tired, and also in essence wrong. Airports are not‘of the air’, that’s what airlines are; airports are ‘of theland’. That was quite a big steer on how we then startedgenerating ideas. There were also practical considerations, such as howto create a more emotional tie to London. The namechange from ‘Luton Airport’ to ‘London Luton Airport’was already in place, so in its purest form – the brandmarque – we wanted to create something that wouldcommunicate this, but also be hugely flexible. Many possible marques worked aesthetically butdidn’t satisfy all our requirements. The modular LLAsymbol did, and it also acted as a carrier for colour,could animate, and would work in three dimensions.Once we had this, we knew we were onto something.InITIAL There were many variations of marques and At one stage, we thought about creating We were keen for certain icons to convey logo types that tried to balance simplicity a generative logo, which would constantly more personality and be quirky, but withoutCOnCEPTS with flexibility, but were discarded. With this change and evolve, to reflect the energy compromising legibility or understanding. We one, for example, we realised it might look of the airport. but this approach ended had to discard some ideas like these, but thethree ideas too much like it was trying to communicate up being too complex – a generative logo final set in the LLA branding does includethat didn’t flight, which we didn’t want to do. wouldn’t reflect the simplicity we were after. some that retain this quirky aspect.make itthrough c o m p u T e r A r T s .c r e AT i v e b Lo q .c o m - 78 -

Step 1 DiarY˚1: ico DesignStep 2 FLIghT OF IDEAS how the team worked out the type and iconography for lla’s signage Step 1 When it came to the typeface, initially it was about what felt appropriate; we wanted a sense of modernity but also something that would feel welcoming to passengers. on a more functional level it had to be highly legible at different sizes, so we did many tests across notional signage, advertising and online applications. We also wanted something with sufficient personality that would unite all communication from the airport. Step 2 We approached spanish type foundry Atipo as their typefaces had a sensibility that felt right for what we were trying to achieve. The LLA typeface was inspired by DiN, which has become a standard across the German transport system. Step 3 We were always keen for iconography to be coherent with the typeface and be part of it. We initially created a series of icons in the studio to get a feel for what we were after, before collaborating with Atipo to complete the full set. Step 4 There was some back and forth, but they totally understood. A few icons have more personality to add a little bit of delight without compromising legibility or understanding – the food and drink icon uses a fish and a mug, and the toilet signs have duplicates that work as wayfinding but also as graphics on arrival.Step 3 Step 4 c o m p u T e r A r T s .c r e AT i v e b Lo q .c o m - 79 -

april 2015 Different printed applications show off the new identity COnCLUSIOn The new identity was unveiled at a launch exhibition that The colour scheme has no specific brand played with the core brand essence of ‘simplicity with a smile’ colours to avoid a corporate feel We knew that whatever identity we came up with,it had to be future-focused. It had to represent the The launch exhibition allowed staff and customers to get toambitions and aspirations of the airport and also the know the new brand identityidea that airports are incredible spaces, in the sensethat they’re not just meeting points, they’re crossroadsof cultures. LLA will become a destination in its ownright, and the identity should reflect that. Rather thanit being a static identity, the new brand is somethingthat has a core form but can be manipulated in lots ofdifferent ways. The advantage of that is that we can useit in ways that work on a corporate level, on a local level,in print, in three dimensions and digitally, but also tospeak to passengers in a more interesting, engaging andmemorable way. It not only appropriately reflects the brand,but it differentiates it in a way that is creative andunconventional. The intention was to make it incrediblyflexible so that it can speak to a multitude of audiences. The identity was launched in December last year,with an exhibition targeted at staff and passengers.That exhibition delivered the sentiment that reflects thebrand. The idea of ‘simplicity with a smile’, for example,was realised with a number of interactive installations(designed by sister company icoEx), such as a small piano,and an interactive screen where people could becomefamiliar with the LLA logo by changing its colour. Throughout the project, the process of gettingapproval was complex. It involved directors, seniormanagement, councils, shareholders and partners. Sothe idea needed to be robust and have real clarity, and weneeded to articulate it in a way that convinced all thosepeople. The LLA team were really great to collaboratewith because they recognised and wanted change. Theybecame real advocates of our work as they knew it wasreflecting their aspirations.PROJECT Django Django: BonoBo: THe alBum leaf:SOUnDTRACK Hail Bop Kiara anoTHer Day british rock group Django ‘Kiara’ is by british musician, The Album Leaf is an Americanthe music that ico Django’s ‘Hail bop’ from producer and DJ bonobo. solo musical project foundeddesign played in the their eponymous debut When we came to make an in california. This track frommaking of this project album is a track packed full animation of the identity, this the album A safe place is very of energy and sharp, spiky track from his black sands chilled and melodic. ‘Another hooks. it is great for keeping album perfectly fitted the Day’ is ideal for letting your the work energy up on a long light, optimistic mood we thoughts wander, and is also project such as this. wanted the brand to convey. very good to write to. c o m p u T e r A r T s .c r e AT i v e b Lo q .c o m - 80 -



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april 2015 VIDEO WALKTHROUGH: ROsE VIDEO WAlKtHROUGH PROJECt FACtFIlEDESIGN AND PRODUCE BRIEFAN ARt CAtAlOGUE Rose was commissioned to design a catalogue to commemorate Smiljan Radic’s Pavilion structure at London’sThe next of our exclusive walkthroughs from the studios in CA’s Serpentine Gallery. The idea was to pay homage to theUK Studio Rankings 2014 follows Rose designer Harry Bingham architect’s creative process by resembling one of his sketch-as he creates a catalogue for London’s Serpentine Gallery filled notebooks. StUDIO Rose www.rosedesign.co.uk DESIGNER Harry Bingham StUDIO SKIllS • S ketching a rough design • D esigning an appropriate page format and grid in InDesign • S electing a suitable typeface • C hoosing ideal paper stock for printing the book Rose videoSince 1999, Rose’s work has been contentrecognised by more than 100 globalcreative awards, including a silver award watch the video atfor the Most Awarded Design Agency bit.ly/ca238-Rose2014 from D&AD in 2014. The studio also oR in ouR ipad editionpicked up Best of Show at CA’s inauguralBrand Impact Awards – see page 18 for see page 44details of the 2015 scheme. C o M P u T e R A R T S .C R e AT I v e B Lo q .C o M - 83 -

PROJECTS april 2015 haRRy bingham 1 Know your subject designeR Designer Harry Bingham joined Rose A pivotal part of the process in designing any art catalogue is becoming in 2012 after studying graphic design at familiar with the subject matter. In this case, the architect’s precious Falmouth university. Since joining the sketchbooks informed the design of the book; they became an important team, Harry has worked as a designer feature in the content and the final catalogue took on the same A6 format. for many of Rose’s varied clients such as Kew Gardens, The V&A, Unilever, 4 Defining sections Deutsche Bank, The Lanesborough and The Design Museum. Having defined simple rules for the catalogue, we were then able to create defined sections within the book. on reading the book, the orientation DESIGN tASK changes several times, in particular when viewing images from Smiljan’s design process, to further accentuate the association with his sketchbooks. The summer Pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery inLondon’s Hyde Park is a highlight of the London artscene. The impressive and provocative 2014 commission(the 14th consecutive year in the series) by worldrenowned Chilean architect Smiljan Radic, continuestheir tradition of cultural shock. The Gallery invited Rose to collaborate with Radicon an accompanying catalogue to commemorate thePavilion. He is a prolific sketcher and note-maker, andfills endless Moleskine notebooks with his thoughtsand inspirations. The resulting recommendationsfor the catalogue, its format and the most appropriateway to editorially convey the eclectic content andmedia within, felt like a fitting culmination of hisvision for this ambitious project.chilean architect smiljan Radić designed what would be the 14th serpentine pavilion 7 Process of development The whole book follows the chronology of Smiljan’s process, from initial sketches, to maquettes and models, to images of the final pavilion itself. This creates a very enjoyable process for the reader as they eventually discover the final form of the pavilion towards the latter pages of the catalogue.C o M P u T e R A R T S .C R e AT I v e B Lo q .C o M - 84 -

april 2015 VIDEO WALKTHROUGH: ROsE2 Flexible grid 3 typeface selectionAfter defining the format, in this case A6, we created the most appropriate Further to defining the grid, our choice of typeface was key to creating agrid for the content. This content varied considerably from long essays, to refined solution. We wanted a clean, contemporary face that would notimagery-driven sections. This variety led us to a flexible system that worked conflict with the characterful imagery associated with the work. Avenir gavein both portrait and landscape, another key feature in Smiljan’s process work. the refined subtlety we were aiming for, while retaining legibility at small sizes.5 Using landsape 6 typographic detailsThe interview with Smiljan was a particularly great opportunity to utilise Typography is incredibly important when designing publications like this,the landscape orientation of the catalogue. The shorter bursts of text and we spent considerable time working with the chosen typeface and thefall nicely in two narrow columns, and allow for full-bleed landscape specified grid to find the best settings (such as hyphenation and justification)imagery to occupy the opposing page. to achieve a pleasing rhythm for the book without any unsightly gaps or rivers.8 Stock considerations 9 Rounded cornersThere were several important decisions to make when printing the book. We chose to utilise rounded corners as another association with theThe text stock needed to hold images well with minimal show-through, but architect’s sketchbooks. We also decided to have exposed grey-boardalso light in weight to keep a narrow profile in the final format. We selected on show around the edge of the cover; this aligns with Smiljan’s visionend papers to emulate the limestone boulders supporting the pavilion. that the pavilion should feel unfinished and rustic in it’s appearance. Watch the video now on our YouTube channel: www.bit.ly/ca238-rose C o M P u T e R A R T S .C R e AT I v e B Lo q .C o M - 85 -

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DiarY˚2: brosminDThE BROsmInD sTORy: PROJECT FACTFILEA CREATIvE LIFE mADE PAPER BRIEFIllustration duo Brosmind has produced creative work together spanish publishing house Normasince their childhood in Spain. In 2014, the two brothers jumped editorial gave brosmind free rein toat the chance to tell – and illustrate – their unique story create a luxurious book of not only their extensive portfolio, but also their personal story and the origin of their creative partnership. CREATIvEs brosmind www.brosmind.com laie pradas www.laiepradas.com Norma editorial www.normaeditorial.com PROJECT DuRATIOn one and a half months LIvE DATE November 2014 Brosmind design Brothersthe mingarro brothers, Juan andalejandro, were born in Huesca, spain.Juan studied graphic design at elisavaDesign school in barcelona. alejandrostudied industrial design at elisavaDesign school, arnhem universityof art and central saint martins. c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 87 -

ThE DEsIgn BRIEF STAGE ONE We had the structure very clear in our minds from the start STAGE TWO We had to explain the vision to graphic designer laie pradas alejandro mingarro Last year we did a small exhibition STAGE FIVE the original idea for the cover was very simple, STAGE SIX the book had to match our colour palette, which is oneof just 20 illustrations for which we but we realised it needed to have more impact of the most precious things in our workpublished a small portfolio book,What’s Inside, for the gallery. In itwe explained the story of how wehave been working together sincewe were children. When we do talkswe always start from this point ofview – that we are very proud tohave been a creative couple eversince we were little.  When Oscar Valiente ofpublishing company NormaEditorial saw our portfolio book,he immediately said he wanted topublish something about Brosmind.We already knew Oscar, and he likedour style and always wanted to dosomething with us, but was not surehow to put our work out there. Sowhen he saw What’s Inside he saidwe should make a bigger version – aluxurious book with lots of elementsinside. He really wanted us to talkabout our childhood and to make itpersonal. It wasn’t just meant to beour portfolio, it was also to includeour origin – to look back to thoseyears of our childhood. He gave ustotal freedom; he said, ‘Do whateveryou want.’ Of course, we weresuper-happy to have the chance toexplain this story. To create a bookso personal was amazing.PROJECT InITIAL vIsIOn DEsIgnER hELP mIxIng IT uPEvOLuTIOn We had a clear vision of how the We asked graphic designer laie she initially did a rough sketch of allALeJAndro mingArro book should look. the whole book pradas to work with us. if we had the book. then we started decidingdescriBes how the was done in a month and a half. We done everything ourselves, it would the order. We wanted to mix up ourBook wAs compiLed closed the studio and didn’t do other have looked too busy. the texts work, not just have all illustration projects. i did the pictures and Juan needed to be comfortable to read, projects in one place, and then all did the text. the hardest part was to and the design clean and tidy, so sculpture. We wanted to make sure organise it. We had two folders of our we wanted a graphic designer to that it’s fun to read. it was about not favourite images, but then we had to supervise the grid, the layout, the putting in a timeline, but creating a choose what to include. typography and so on. rhythm to the design. c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 88 -

DiarY˚2: brosminDSTAGE ThrEE We really wanted to mix up our different areas of STAGE FOur the process helped us make difficult hOw wE wORkwork, so that the book is fun to read decisions about which project images to show juAN mINGArrO EXplAINSSTAGE SEVEN We were very pleased to have the opportunity to make such a personal book brOSmINd’S prOVEN ApprOAch TO prOjEcTS We always work together on all the projects. We have the same background, and it’s really easy to communicate between us. We have the same style of drawing and think very similarly. We still draw with pencils – the pencil drawing is the part that takes more time, because it’s the one that we put all the effort into. then i do the inking work and alejandro does the colour. Whatever field we’re working in, we always initially brainstorm individually and then brainstorm together until we have the idea. We then decide what direction we want to take – sometimes we develop alejandro’s idea, sometimes mine. We have so much confidence in each other, we can be really sincere with our criticism. We argue a lot, but that’s good for work because it brings it to the next level. the brosmind style is really defined so we both know what all the characters should look like. the initial thinking is more about the layout, or how to simplify the brief. but once we visualise that, it’s an automatic process.DIFFICuLT DECIsIOns FACE BOOk COLOuR PALETTE FInIshIng TOuChlaie gave us some rigour. For instance, We originally thought we would have there’s a part where we show our the book includes a comic, stickersa project for Honda was probably the a simple white cover with just the title colour palette. all our illustrations are and place markers that you can addmost important one of our career, as on it, but we changed our minds at based on this, it is one of our most yourself. there are also some pinkit helped us define our style. but at the last minute. We realised it would precious things. so it was important pages in the middle that containthe same time it’s a little old, and in be lost in a book store. also, we are that the book’s colour was a perfect our original pencil drawings andthe end we had the strength to only brosmind – we have to put our faces match. We were very happy with the show our process. the final bookinclude one picture. that was difficult, on the book. We were worried that final print, and everything was correct. is printed on matt paper; we wantedbut thanks to her we realised it was we might look like dicks, but now if Norma produces so many books, so it to be thick and to have a nicethe right thing to do. you see it in a library, it pops up. they have everything under control. touch. We are very happy with it. c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 89 -

SAmSUng AD: mAkIngTEChnOLOgy TAngIBLECanadian studio Vallée Duhamel used its lo-fi approach to conveya high-spec piece of technology for Samsung, with stunning resultsPROJECT FACTFILE ThE DESIgn BRIEFBRIEF Eve DuhamelParis-based advertising agencyHeaven contacted Vallée Duhamel We were contacted by Heaven, an advertising Samsung  wanted to reach was pretty large. The ideato collaborate on an ad that would agency responsible for the Samsung Mobile account was to reach mostly professionals that would use theirhighlight the unique functionalities in France. We were happy that it wasn’t a pitch and phones for work and personal matters - the film wasn’tof Samsung’s Galaxy Note S-Pen. that they wanted us to collaborate on this project. intended to reach only creative people. We found itThey wanted to represent each of They wanted to showcase the Samsung Galaxy Note interesting that Samsung thought of us, since theythe features through ‘real objects’ S-Pen’s functionality and various features, and had develop high-end technological products, whereas ourin the daily life of a user. made previous films, such as Daydream of a Penspinner, approach is really lo-fi and based on the hand-made. which had been very successful.  When we went through the brief though, it made senseSTUDIOS that we fit well, as each of these S-Pen features wouldVallée Duhamel The initial brief was really simple: illustrate the be interpreted in the ‘real world’ with real objects.www.valleeduhamel.com functionality of the S-Pen. The target audienceThe Workshopwww.workshopmileend.comHeavenwww.heaven.frPROJECT DURATIOnTwo monthsLIvE DATE12 January 2015 c o m P u T e r a r T S .c r e aT i V e b lo q .c o m - 90 -

eVe duhamel DiarY˚3: vallÉE DuhamEl Visual artist and designer Vallée duhamel Julien Valléeeve’s playful installation and handmade designer and director Vallée duhamelwork has been used for posters, aGi member Julien has worked for Google, lacoste and The New Yorkskateboards, snowboards, fashion, Times among others. His monograph rock, Paper, Scissors: The Work ofevents and books, and her work has been Julien Vallée was published in 2011.exhibited in galleries around the world. WORk In PR0gRESS Julien valléeThe creators used more than 30 objects for the shoot, carefully chosen from favourite designers The first step in the project was to analyse the functionality of the S-Pen and translate its uses throughThe initial challenge was translating the pen’s features into actions choreography of arm and hand movements different objects that they could relate to. There were a lot of them and we had to carefully consider the order in which they would appear in the final film. Pretty basic tools included ‘cut and paste’, for example, which we replaced by obvious objects like scissors and a glue stick. Others were more specific, such as the multi- tasking feature which is basically two programs running simultaneously on a split screen. We illustrated that by having the hands play ping-pong and writing with the typewriter at the same time. In total we represented 11 different types of functionality. Since we wanted to do everything in-camera, there were some real challenges regarding the size of the objects – the way they would move and interact with the desk environment. Another aspect we were dealing with was the ability of the actor (Émilien Zauhar, who practices penspinning as a hobby) to make interesting movements with the objects. One last constraint that we decided to add was for the choreography to be coherent: the order of crafted actions had to follow an ordinary day, so coffee in the morning, picnic for lunch, ping-pong game in the afternoon and so on. Once we had worked out the order, we had several rehearsals. In these, the aim was to figure out the way Émilien needed to start and finish the movement of each object, so that it was hidden and could be subsequently revealed. Everything was shot in live action, so it was a meticulous task of positioning the beginning and end of his movement between the object’s substitution. But a couple of shots were comped together at the end. For example, when he put his hand in the desk and reached for the notepad, this was shot in three different takes: the first one to get objects behind his hand, the second one on green-screen for objects in front of his hand, and a last one of the hand reaching the notepad.PROBLEm even with the use of the video assistant, the switch between objects during aSOLvED sequence could never be perfect. The ripples of the shirts could change, orhow the workshop a vein would come out more becausesmoothed out the actor would hold something heavier.inconsistencies Post-production house The Workshopbetween transitions spent most of its time doing warps and rotoscoping, and playing with scale and speed to achieve a natural flow during the transition. most of it was achieved using after effects. c o m P u T e r a r T S .c r e aT i V e b lo q .c o m - 91 -

Some shots were comped from a number of different takes one of the main challenges was figuring out the movements of the objects on the desk On set, we were working with a video assistant who “We used 30provided us with a live image, played previous takes and different objects,roughly blended two takes together to make sure all the carefully chosenpositions matched. This enabled us to have a skin of the from differentprevious shot and to match the arm positions so that we designers we like”could continue the movement in the sequence. The transitions from one movement to the next had to be seamless In total we used about 30 different objects includingthe ones on the desk. All of them were carefully chosen a video assistant played previous and live takes The actions had to follow the timeline of a normal dayfrom different designers we like. The final shoot tooktwo days of 16 hours in a row. That was pretty intense. COnCLUSIOn Julien vallée The entire process went extremely well. Heaven andSamsung were totally open to our ideas and had faithin our direction. We received helpful feedback on thedifferent aspects that needed to be related to the featuresof the S-Pen, and they were open to the way we adaptedthem while retaining the spirit in the storytelling. Wheneveryone involved in such projects performs their rolewell, it’s hard to fail at reaching the targeted audience.We are so happy with the audience reaction – it hasbeen our most viral project so far, with more thanthree million views in two weeks.LESSOnS SET ASIDE ALWAyS ShARE FInD ThE TImE TO TEST nEW IDEAS CREATIvE OThERSLEARnED always test before going on set. We When a better idea comes up in make sure you work with the rightJulien Vallée had a couple of rehearsals prior to the the process, share it with the client, people. We love meeting new peopleconsiders what shoot and made a quick edit in order even if you are past the established and involving them in our projects.the samsung pen to pinpoint eventual problems that calendar. The creative process Sometimes we feel too close toproJect taught him could happen in the making of the final should always be part of each step, our creative process, and being project. We used Premiere Pro and from conception and storyboard to challenged by an outsider can really after effects to make these tests. shooting day and post-production. change established perceptions. c o m P u T e r a r T S .c r e aT i V e b lo q .c o m - 92 -



need to knowshoot PRINt WoRKfoR youR folIoDigital portfolios may be the standard for many creatives, but showcasingtactile projects can prove challenging. tanya Combrinck gathers some best-practice advice for photographing print projects more effectively W ith a bit of photographic as much as design, can be a victim of inexpressive. Don’t be afraid to know-how, a half-decent trends. Remember the trend of holding incorporate a colour background that DslR and a sprinkling of a giant poster with your fingertips in relates to the look and feel of yourart direction flair, there’s no reason front of you? Or framing all of your project; it will help create a cohesivewhy you can’t shoot pro-quality images posters? A few years ago everybody set of pictures. You can adorn your setof your print work that will do them was doing it and now it looks completely with objects that give an indication ofjustice on screen. outdated. Don’t be tempted to imitate the project theme. For example, if you “Don’t worry if you’re not the most a photographic trend; instead, find your designed the identity for a flower shop, askilled photographer or don’t have the own way to do it and your pictures will few rose petals distributed harmoniouslybest camera on the market,” advises stand the test of time.” next to your stationery can add aphotographer Neil Watson (www.neil- sensible and fun touch.”watson-studio.com). “These days even Chris Logan of The Touch Agencythe most basic cameras and equipment (www.thetouchagency.co.uk) likes a Watson echos this: “I sometimes likewill get you a long way; any entry-level neutral colour for the background: “It to add props that create a sense of anDSLR or high-end compact with an works well when you have a variety of environment. This could be somethingexternal flash can be used to get projects of different size, colour, print as simple as a shadow from a plant, orgreat results.” finish and scale to accommodate. It also even a cup of coffee.” The first step is to set the stage. allows for consistency across all of our“The way in which we photograph our project shots.” But don’t go overboard with yourprojects is a part of what defines our accoutrements; Julian Zimmermann ofvisual style,” says graphic designer Patrice Barnabé warns against creating Deutsche & Japaner (www.deutscheundBarnabé (www.patricebarnabe.com). something too clinical. “When you japaner.com) stresses that it’s important“First of all, be aware that photography, create your set, make sure it doesn’t to stage the work in a well-balanced way: look like a laboratory. White or pale “Don’t over-stage the imagery; let the grey backgrounds can be cold and work shine in the foreground.”c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 94 -

SHOOT yOur PrINT WOrK Above: try using a colour background that relates to the look and feel of your project, like robot teChNIques Food did for this project foR Post PRoDuCtIoN IN left and above: think about adding props to indicate a theme, as Neil Watson has done in PhotoshoP these examples mike Johns, senior designer at“if you don’t know much about robot Food, on making the best oflighting and don’t have any special your images in post productionequipment, natural daylight is best” Raw power taking your photos in raW format gives you a great advantage in post production. the extra data it captures means you can make use of photoshop’s full range of powerful editing features. For portfolio photography, i find clarity can enhance the image in ways that contrast and other adjustments can’t. Don’t use more than a touch, but you’ll notice improvement every time. Little blemishes For those stray hairs and specks of dust, the easiest and most straightforward tool i use is the spot Healing brush tool. this tool makes your photo studio seem as clean as a swiss hospital. Split personality create a clipping mask around your subject and treat the background shadows separately. this gives you greater control over the subject and also allows you to maintain consistency on shadows and backdrops throughout. Composition is key create horizontal and vertical guides to make sure the work you’ve captured isn’t distorted. this will also help you achieve a strong composition by centring the product or figuring out where the focal point is. The finer details a great way to sharpen up the subject is to use the High pass tool. to do this, duplicate your final image and select High pass from the Filter menu. like clarity, this effect can be quite overpowering so only a small amount of radius is needed. once you have the new High pass layer, apply linear light. this enhances the detail of your subject and can be adjusted using the transparency levels. it’s perfect for small type or photography. When you’ve worked out your set “Shooting with a flash in this way uses since they create smooth shadows andor backdrop, you’ll need to think about the wall to create a softer light source they reduce high contrast. Create yourlighting. Watson has a clever technique that will make a shadow below the item set next to a big window and reduce thefor creating a miniature studio that you are shooting, and shouldn’t create impact of direct light with a translucentworks with a DSLR and an external flash too much reflection on it. white curtain.”(speedlight): “Place a large sheet of whitecard against a white wall and set up the You can also have another sheet of Logan recommends a tripod for takingwork you wish to photograph on the white card balanced against your legs, your pictures: “Especially if you want tocard. Attach the external flash to the hot facing back into the shot, which will act as achieve a consistent vantage point, pointshoe of your camera. Most speedlights a fill light, softening some of the shadows of focus or angle — it’s much easier tohave a rotatable head; point this upwards at the lower half of the frame.” (A fill is a re-arrange the printed matter and get theso it is facing the ceiling. Take the picture light source used to reduce contrast.) shot you want once you have the setupby standing above your work, looking locked down.” Watson points out anotherdown onto it so the flash is pointing If you don’t know much about lighting advantage: “It also means you can shootdirectly at the wall. and don’t have any special equipment, a few variations and comp them together Barnabé recommends natural daylight. afterwards if needed.” “Cloudy days and afternoons are ideal c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 95 -

tAKINg PeRfeCt PICtuRes our experts’ top tips for creating beautiful images every time 1. Setting the stage Don’t fall into the trap of using a photographic trend that will look dated next year. You can use a neutral backdrop, which is great for creating a consistent portfolio, or you can add interest by using props that are relevant to the topic of the material. Don’t go crazy and overstage the image though: the work should always be the main focus. 2. Prioritise lighting light is the most important consideration. You can create a softer light by bouncing your flash off a white surface, and if you’re unsure, your best bet is natural daylight on a cloudy afternoon through a thin white curtain. 3. Tether your camera “tethering the camera to your laptop allows you to see how the images look at a better size and make quick adjustments, while ensuring detail in your work has been captured,” says chris logan, who recommends writing out a shot list and sketching compositions before beginning the shoot. “if you have a variety of setups (overhead, details, perspective), it helps to work through each setup, rather than each individual project,” he adds. 4. Don’t have a camera? a smartphone and an app can get you pictures of your work that are good enough to share on instagram or other social media. “there are some great photo-editing apps for smartphones such as vsco cam and adobe’s own photoshop app, which are useful for replicating types of light and tonal qualities,” says logan. “built-in cameras these days have fantastic pixel ranges, sensors and so on. but i wouldn’t view these as a substitute to more professional photography and everything this entails.” There’s no harm in hand-held “capturing paper textures and printshooting though; Barnabé prefersa variety of angles to keep thingsfinishes can be done with close-ups”interesting: “Don’t shoot all your set inthe same 45 degree angle – it will end upbecoming boring and predictable. Onlyuse a tripod if you want to show different you that light-to-dark effect in the shiny f/4.0, otherwise you will end up withlayers of a single piece, such as different surface that can be retouched back into blurred parts in your picture.” If you’respreads of a magazine, or different your main image.” having trouble with blurring or camerascreenshots of a website.” You’ll need to switch out your lens for shake, Barnabé recommends using theCapturing paper textures and print the closer takes. “I use a Canon 60D and image stabilisation feature of your lensfinishes can be done with close-up shots use a very basic 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and a shutter speed of at least 1/200.and some tweaks with your lighting. for most of my shots, and a 50mm f/1.8 Following this advice should get“Getting foil blocks on printed items for close-up shots when I want to show you some great results, and with a littleto look metallic can be tricky,” says paper texture, print finishes or small experimentation and practice you’llWatson. “Use your tripod, and hold up typography,” says Barnabé. “For details be shooting perfect images witha small piece of white or black card to and close-ups, choose a wider aperture relative ease.create good reflections. Better still, ask that will decrease the depth of field —someone else to hold the card so you that’s the amount of the scene which iscan look through the camera to see how in focus. Between f/1.4 and f/2.8 is good. Next month: Enhance your design workit is affecting the picture; this can give For bigger general shots never go below with our guide to the best print finishes. c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 96 -

NEXT MONTH LOVE PRINT?LOVE DIGITAL? LOVE BOTH? SPECIAL REPORT All you need to enhance your design projects with the latest print and digital innovations INDUSTRY ISSUES Why collaborating more closely with your clients will lead to better branding work Plus: inspiring work, current issues and expert analysis from the global design scene ON SALE 31 MAR c o m p u t e r a r t s .c r e at i v e b lo q .c o m - 97 -