So I haven’t really been keeping the blog up to date with my inane ramblings lately, It’s been a tad busy with Uni/Freelance Design/O2 Work/Other Odd-jobs to say the least over the last couple of weeks. Deadline for Typography project (and Photography for that matter) is very fast approaching, really need to polish that off over the weekend with a bit of luck, which should give me half a day or so to finish off the new portfolio site (yes, it’s nearly done) before a visit from the next industry mentor this coming Wednesday. At least that’s the theory. In practice, it’ll end up with me burning the candle at both ends like I’ve been doing for most of this week in a crazy attempt to get things done.
Which leads me (vaguely) onto what I should have posted weeks ago…
14th October saw a visit from Nadine Wickenden, a local children’s illustrator. She was a delight to listen to, and really had a unique style. Personally illustration isn’t my one of my strong interest areas, and children even less so (!), however, she did provide a useful insight into the financial side of freelancing, with the best advice being to put aside a set amount each month so as not to be surprised by the taxman at the end of the year. Good plan, and something I intend to start “continue” doing. The week after would have introduced Jack Own of Ice House Design, unfortunately he called to cancel. Damn and blast. Hopefully we’ll get to see him soon enough, if it’s possible for him to reschedule.
This week it was the turn of Andy Fuller to enlighten us to the world of his business branding agency, and on a side note, by complete coincidence, I’d actually met him last weekend when he popped into O2 after losing his iPhone. Small world. Designbull consists mainly of Andy’s creative side, and a colleague who provides most of the technical bits where web is concerned. Unfortunately most of his web work was outsourced, thus no opportunity for a placement in that area. Double damn and blast. Nevertheless, some great insight into working freelance and building up a team of trusted colleagues in different areas of the industry to join forces with when needed, and a really nice style of corporate branding, similar to the kind of clean, modern, fresh work I’d like to be doing.