shillington post—issue 03

N03

THE

MAVERICK

ISSUE

06 // Studio Tour: Nice and Serious 12 // Portfolio Spotlight: Andrs Clerc

18 // What's a Video Shop, Dad?

20 // How Bezar, How Bezar24 // Graduate Feature: Nataly Lee28 // Opinion: You're Crowding Me

E D I

RN03

THE MAVERICK ISSUECover Artwork // Belen Peralta Ramos

Imaverick: an unorthodox or independent-minded person

At Shillington, we welcome mavericks with open arms. We love the renegades, the out-of-the-box thinkers, the brazen ones.

Since 1997 we've challenged convention, turned traditional teaching methods upside down and developed an unorthodox approach to help students achieve amazing results in a seriously short amount of time. As maverick educators ourselves, we jump straight in. And what inspires me most is watching how our course gives students the skills and confidence to charge straight ahead into bold, uncharted territory.

In this third issue of the Post, we're championing mavericks in multiple industries from around the world. Meet the innovative brains behind UK ethical agency Nice and Serious. Seven of our teachers share the maverick who has inspired their life and work. Learn about Bezaran online marketplace that's shaking up the e-commerce world. We catch up with graduate Nataly Lee, a stylist who came to Shillington with no experience and now juggles multiple ventures across continents. And since new technology forces mavericks to evolve, Steph Ransom discusses how designers can counter crowdsourcing in the creative industry.

Happy reading. Here's to the mavericks!

Andy Shillington CEO of Shillington

T O

I A L

STEPHANIE MUNOZ FULL-TIME TEACHER, NEW YORK

Michael Jordan. MJ. The greatest basketball player of all time. During his earlier years, his short height motivated him to prove his worth which lead him to several 40-point games. He then attended North Carolina University and later got drafted by the Chicago Bulls.

Jordan had a way of hiding his every move on the court and keeping the players and fans on their toes. He was doing things on the court no one could ever imagine was possible. His unforgettable moments were when hewould put his heart and soulintothe NBA finals.

ADAM DUDD FULL-TIME TEACHER, NEW YORK

Amos Paul Kennedy Junior. Hes an eccentric printmakera self-taught free spirit. He prints not for profit nor fame, but because its what he loves to do. He worked as a computer programmer until he was 40, then stumbled upon an old printing press at one of those historic colonial American civil-war re-enactment type villages. He instantly fell in love, quit his job, started printing and never looked back. Amazing.

His prints are rich and deep with layers upon layers of text and colour. Theyre full of passion and have a freeness about them I dont think could be achieved if he had been formally taught. His work is powerful and inspiring and addresses difficult subjects such as race, religion, politics and love in a light-hearted and fun but thought-provoking way.

When the world zigs, Amos zags, and its beautiful. Hes an amazing man and a true inspiration to me.

MY FAVOURITE MAVERICK

SPENCER HARRISON PART-TIME TEACHER, MELBOURNE

The maverick that inspires me the most is the world famous drag queen RuPaul of RuPaul's Drag Race. His wildly independent nature, love of colour, laughter and overall approach to not taking life too seriously has inspired me in both mycreative work and in my life.

He is also an incredibly savvy business person and I've learnt a lot about how you can structure a life of fun, creativity and laughter from him by exploring a broad range of creative disciplines.

And don't forget his famous advice toall of us: "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?

We've all been inspired by someone who zigs

when we zag. For this issue, we asked seven

teachers from around the world to share their

very favourite maverickin design and beyond.

STEVE WARING PART-TIME TEACHER, MANCHESTER

Im not sure about inspiring me as such, but Jim Morrison, Chris Morris, The Designers Republic and even Tony Soprano have had a big influence inone way or another.

That said, the first person that came to mind was ex-footballer Eric Cantona. A boyhood hero who epitomises maverick. A cultural icon with arrogance, flair, passion and eccentricity inabundance.

"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."

FIONA YAP FULL-TIME TEACHER, SYDNEY

One maverick I find inspiring would be Michael Beirut. He founded Design Observer, an online design journal, as a means of understanding the industry. This was long before the world of social media. But there was one piece Beirut penned that really resonated with meTen Footnotes to a Manifesto. It was a manifesto full of heart, urging designers to prioritise their skills for more cultural interventions over mass consumerism. Beirut tore into it. And, as a budding graphic designer geeking out, this was a relief. Pressured to change the world with my design and more, this is a great perspective check. I still think Ican change the world though.

LEYLA MURATOVIC PART-TIME TEACHER, MELBOURNE

My maverick is Iris Apfel. Early in her career she was told You're not pretty and you'll never be pretty, but it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You have style. Can you imagine!? She doesnt care for trends and is no shrinking violet. Always unique, always interesting andinterested.

I try to channel my inner Iris when tackling new designs as its so easy to let those little demons tell you todo something you know everyone willlike. Be Irisdont be beige!

CHAD MILLER PART-TIME TEACHER, NEW YORK

Tom Cruise as hot-shot pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the 1986 film Top Gun.

Whether he was inverting his plane, giving obscene gestures to the enemy, or falling in love with his instructor, he flew by his own rules. Atrue inspiration in my life.

Whether he was inverting his plane, giving obscene gestures to the enemy, or falling in love with his instructor, [Maverick] flew by his own rules.

6 // Shillington Post

STUDIO TOUR // Nice and Serious

NICE

AND

SERIOUS

INTERVIEW BY ALI NEILLY // PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICE ANDSERIOUS

STUDIO TOUR:



Meet Ben Meaker and Tom Tapper, the men behind London's Nice and Serious

an ethically driven creative agency. Having met studying Environmental

Sciences, theyre now fighting the good fight by creating engaging and thought-

provoking design solutions for clients like BBC and WWF as well as raising

awareness of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Their unique approach

and passion for the cause results in a portfolio bursting

with inspiring, emotive content.

Read about a typical day in the studio, get advice for young designers

and find out how hiring someone is like a fine pint of Guinness.



Nice and Serious is an ethically-driven creative agency that makes nice things, but only to solve the serious stuff. Whatsparked you to work in this unique space?

We were both studying Environmental Sciences at university and soon realised that not many people were paying much attention to the stuff that really mattered, such as climate change and human rights. One of the reasons was that the stories being told at the time were uninspiring and preachy, sopeople simply zoned out. This was the catalyst for starting Nice and Serious. An agency whose sole purpose is to make people care about the serious stuff. How? By producing awesome creative content about environmental, social and ethical issues.

More specifically, what experiences and career paths led towhere you are now? What were you doing before N&S andhow did you two meet?

After our little undergrad stint at the University of East Anglia, we enrolled on a Masters in Science Communication course at Imperial College. We knew a lot about environmental and social issues but we felt there was a lot to learn about how to engage people with the issues. The course was great for that and combined with some work experience here and there, wewereready to set up Nice and Serious.

Tell us about your team and studio culture. Who makes up Niceand Serious? What makes them tick and why do they work well together?

Weve built up an incredible team over the years. We have the privilege of working with people who have both scientific and creative backgrounds across the fields of digital, film, animation and design. But what brings us all together is our shared values. Every single person in the team is super passionate about making the world a nicer place through creativity.

Alongside that, weve tried our very best to build a culture which embraces learning, failure, initiative, experimentation andabove all, fun. We tackle serious subjects on a daily basis but we always, and we mean always, like to do this in the nicest possibleway.

Describe a typical day at Nice and Serious. Or is there any such thing as a typical day?

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a typical day here at Niceand Serious International HQ. We do, of course, have processes in place which give us structure and help ease the workflow. However, as we work ad hoc, rather than on retainers, it helps us keep things fresh. That said, theres always music blazing out of the sound system, constant tea and coffee rounds and furiously competitive table football tournaments going on.

Youve said that the day-to-day at Nice and Serious always comes back to the why of what you do. Could you elaborate on this?

Ever since we started Nice and Serious, weve always fundamentally believed that each and every piece of work we create should aim to make people care about the serious stuff inlife. That's how we'll create positive change. That's our why. We could of course make stuff for big brands that aim to flog more crap to people who dont need it. But thats not us. Westand for something and that has to come through in our work and in how we operate as a business.

Could you share the biggest achievement of Nice and Serious to date?

Its tricky to pin down our biggest achievement. We would say that the impact our work creates is probably the biggest achievement we could ever hope for. But weve also won a few awards in our time and thats always a great feeling. Being recognised in the industry for our work, and the impact we create, is a truly remarkable feeling.

What amazes us most though is when people come to us and want to work with Nice and Serious, either as members of the team or as clients, because of what we stand for. That marks another big achievement.

To be honest though, we feel our biggest achievement will come when people dont actually need to use us anymore. We hope that one day, the world will be in such good shape environmentally, socially and ethically that well be forced out of business. And that, ultimately, is what we should be aiming for.

"What brings us all together is our shared values. Every single person in the team is super

passionate about making the world a nicer place through creativity."



When youre not designing, where can we find you and what areyou doing?

Our studio is based in London Bridge but if were not there, well be in one of the many coffee shops in the area. And if its a Friday, that coffee morphs into a pint!

Whats on the horizon for Nice and Serious?

Weve got some really exciting times ahead. Next year, well be setting up a sister office in New York and possibly in Copenhagen too. Were also looking into establishing a couple of new departments within Nice and Serious which would develop technology for good and help budding creative social entrepreneurs respectively.

Any words of wisdom for young designers just getting started in the industry?

Word of warning: please dont take this as gospel. Whilst wefeel its important to gain industry experience, we always admire designers who come to us with personal projects theyve undertaken in their own time. These can often be great opportunities to showcase your true, creative talent but it also shows prospective employers that you have energy and drive todo something off your own back.

Anything else youd like to share?

Be a nice person and youll do seriously well. Good luck!

What are the biggest lessons youve learnt since launching theagency?

There are so many things weve learned over the years. Toomany to list here in fact. If we had to boil it down to one thing though, it would be hire the right people. It may sound obvious, but Nice and Serious is pretty much a collection of dedicated, passionate people who are amazingly creative and share similar values. Its actually quite a tough job to find the right people and one thing we have learned is never rush into hiring someone. Like a fine pint of Guinness, good things come tothose who wait.

Any favourite recent projects?

Weve recently worked with the wonderful Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) on a digital campaign which aims to put a stop to factory farming. CIWF were very open to doing something really creative which was great for us. And they were jolly nice people to work with too, which helped! In the end, everyone in the team was involved in the project at some point because we created a range of different products, from an interactive website, to a launch video and even a 3D printed farm set! Youcan see it in action at www.yourfarmtoy.com

Can we get a sneak peek into your creative process? How do your teams work together?

Well, its a bit like a secret sauce so we cant reveal too much without giving away the magic. To be fair, its not exactly rocket science. It all begins with immersing ourselves in the brief and getting a full understanding of the task at hand. Once were all on the same page, we start developing creative concepts for the project. These are usually overarching ideas which help anchor all of the creative outputs we develop subsequently. Then depending on what needs to be done for the project or campaign in questions, we form the A-team for that particular job and get cracking!

"Be a nice person and you'll do seriously well."

Congratulations on landing an internship at Nice and Serious! Why were you drawn to working at anethically-driven agency?

Thank you. Ive always been interested in the environment and sustainability and get excited about amazing creative ideas to communicate these issues. Id been aware of Nice and Serious for a while, so it was exciting that an internship came up the last week of college. It's definitely achange from Shillington, but there is still a lot of creativity, hard work and coffee in my day to day.

Whats your day-to-day like as an intern?

The days go pretty quicklya combination of being busy and having fun. There is always stuff to do, even if work is quiet. Ive been helping decorate the (fairly new) office and getting involved in brainstorms for lots of different projects. I worked in brand consulting previously soits not a massive environment change, but getting to be a designer is certainly something funand new to get used to.

Could you tell us about some projects youve worked on so far?

Such a variety; Ive worked on an annual review website for the British Heart Foundation,

helped out on a successful proposal for IKEAs sustainability communications, and created storyboards for some Unilever animations.

What's agency life like?

Everyone is great. The atmosphere is very relaxed and easy going. I really like how open the place isthere is a lot of sharing of ideas. At Friday drinks you can pitch your own idea to the company and ifits exciting, people will help you realise it.

Whats the biggest lesson youve learnt?

Ask for help when you need it. The time management we learnt at Shillington has definitely been helpful.

Id love to invite you back to Shillington to share your story with current students. What advice would you give them?

Not to get too distracted looking at other peoples work. It can be inspiring but it can also confuse youfocus on what you enjoy most.

After working in brand consulting, Gael Welstead decided to

get closer to the action and enrolled at Shillington London.

Throughout the three months, Gael formed a close bond with

her tutor Jen Dennis, sharing a love of sarcasm, passion for

design and Gael's solid hugs.

Jen recently caught up with Gael; she's come a long way

since day one of Shillingtonsecuring an internship at Nice

and Serious on the day of her graduation. Shes now working

on projects for big names like IKEA and The British Heart

Foundation while enjoying some complimentary yoga and

competitive table football, all in the name of studio culture.

SHILLINGTON INSIDER:

Andrs Clerc had a management degree, but always dreamed of becoming a graphic designer. A fervent street artist,

hislove of letters and illustrations grew naturally and led him to study at Shillington. He now works as a graphic designer

atImpero and freelance illustrator in London. See more of his work at www.andresclerc.com.

1&2 CUSTOM LETTERING FOR CRAYOLA 3. CHEM+CO ANNUAL REPORT

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WHAT'S A VIDEO SHOP, DAD? // John Fry

WHATS A VIDEOSHOP, DAD?WORDS BY JOHN FRY // ILLUSTRATION BY BELEN RAMOS

In 1997, Netflix broke onto the scene offering mail order movies you could rent online. No need for bricks and mortar stores or bored video store attendants, just cheap DVDs and a postpack. Jump ahead to improved internet speeds and digital downloads and Netflix was able to pivot its model into a totally digital business. Now Netflix, valued at $52 billion, has evolved into a complete entertainment company, with many traditional TV companies scrambling tocopy its model.

And it left the treasured video shop in its wake.

But it's not just our local video shopit's a wide-spread phenomenon. Digital Disruption is a term used to describe companies that circumvent the usual business model by leveraging technology. They approach an existing market from a different angle or create an entirely new business that previously didnt exist.

Think about it: Uber, the world's largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world's most popular media source, creates no content. AndAirBnb, the world's largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate.

Whats made this possible is our perpetual connectedness, the rapid growth of smartphone usage and Big Data tracking every aspect of our daily life. Fora large majority of people in the developed world our social, business and consumer interactions mostly happen online. What this means is that thestages in between a consumer and the producer of a product or service isgreatly reduced, levelling the playing field.

As a young lad, many a weekend would include a trip

to the local video shop to grab a few new releases.

Every shopping strip or mall had a store, if not more,

all offering pretty much the same product. Fast

forward (see what I did there?) to 2015 and youd

be hard pressed to find a video shop in existence.

Sowhat happened?


WHAT'S A VIDEO SHOP, DAD? // John Fry

We've covered Netflix, let's talk about Uber.

Uber relies on the fact that were always close to our mobile phones, which is also the case for the driver of an Uber car. All that needed to happen was to build a bridge between these two parties. In comes an easy to use app, a greatly simplified payment process, and a strong push for transparency in the deal between the passenger and driver. Traditional taxi companies simply cant compete with this agile approach without offloading a lot of infrastructure.

Uber currently operates in 330 cities and has a valuation of $51 billion, all achieved in 5 years.

And how about AirBnB?

While house swap services have been around for years, AirBnB turned it into a real commercial venture. Creating the digital infrastructure for people to list, rent and promote their personal properties. And it's giving the traditional accommodation industry a serious run for their money.

This Summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) nearly 17 million guests stayed with AirBnB hosts around the world. A growth of 353% over the last 5 years.

Not even the music industry is sparedthere's Spotify, Rdio, Pandora!

First we had Napster with people illegally sharing their digital music. So what did the record studios do? They tried to sue anyone involved to get them to stop. Maybe not the brightest idea.

Things shook up when Apple introduced the iTunes store offering digital music downloads and the iPod, the perfect product for these digital files. And now? Weve jumped again with streaming services like Spotify, Rdio and Pandora, who thoughtwhy buy music youre just going to get sick of, when you could just as easily rent it? Whats interesting is Apple have now had to play catchup with their new Music service, showing you cant rest on your laurels in this day andage.

Development expert Patrick Forth notes that 75% of the Fortune 500 in 2020 will be names weve never heard of.

Is the graphic design industry next?

So, should we as graphic designers be worried that the robots will take our jobs? Will services like The Grid that uses algorithms to design your website replace the role of a designer? Not likely. A computer program can never talk to a client and really get to the crux of their communication issue, then offer viable options. Hell, it might be they dont even need a website and that something else would better serve their business needs.

What it does mean is designers are perfectly placed to help companies pivot to take advantages of opportunities offered up by advances in technology. Design thinking and the ability to look at problems from different perspectives makes designers a valuable addition to any team.

This doesnt mean all designers need to know how to build an app or even write a line of code. Instead we'll need to gain a broad overview of whats possible. Which companies are doing interesting things with technology. Or how people are using technology in unique ways.

My advice to stay ahead of the robots? Observe, question and stay curious.

Patrick Forth, is the global leader of The Boston Consulting Group's Technology, Media &

Telecommunications practice Source: https://www.ted.com/watch/ted-institute/ted-bcg/

patrick-forth-technology-distruption-meets-the-change-monster-who-wins

Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/3050250/what-makes-uber-run

Source: http://blog.airbnb.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Airbnb-Summer-Travel-

Report-1.pdf


HOW BEZAR,HOW BEZAR.WORDS BY SARA MAZZONI IMAGES // BEZAR

Where can you find affordable Danish lamps, exclusive prints

from the Refinery29 team and a pillow shaped like a ham leg?

Look no furtherBezar is here. Your own personal shopping

service for high-quality, quirky and colourful products. It's a

self-proclaimed "platform for the next design icons".


HOW BEZAR, HOW BEZAR // Sara Mazzoni

bizarre: striking out of the ordinary. bazaar: a market selling goods.

First, let's meet the man behind it all

BradfordShellhammer. He's a maverick to

hiscore, named one of the '100 Most Creative

People in Business' by Fast Company and

coined the 'King of Quirk' by Forbes. We were

lucky to get the inside scoop and catch up

withthe man himself.



Shellhammer is a seasoned entrepreneur who rode a wave of success and challenges with his first major enterprise, Fab. In recent years, he reinvented the iconic Backcountry brand and continues to serve on the board of six companies. Plus, it should be noted that he strikes out of the ordinary and dresses like a maverick every day. You'll always find Shellhammer in the brightest colours and fashion's best.

With his new brainchild Bezar, Shellhammer has created an online marketplace that focuses on beautifully curated products, all of which champion design talent. But why? He says he "was bored with retail and wanted to provide more people with the access to the stuff he's fallen in love with".

Here's how it works. To start, ateam of expert Design Scouts, who Shellhammer calls "a team of passionate, tasteful, kooky folks from various walks of life" scour the world over to curate a jaw-dropping collection of unique goods. Then, eachday a new online storefront or Pop-Up Shop is launched in one of four categories: Art, House, Jewellery and Accessories. Finally, you place anorderand beautiful things arrive atyour doorstep.

But it's more than a shopit's a revolution! The most exceptional thing about Bezar is how it holistically supports its sellers' work, rights and livelihoods. Shellhammer respects the designer's craft and unique story. His aim is to help the small fish in a big e-commerce pond. And by staying true to this strong mission, Bezar has seen rapid growth since launching March

"Designers are my heroes. They give up comfort and security to follow

their dreams, and that takes courage."

2015. "It's been a wild ride! We've launched collections of more than 600 brands," says Shellhammer. "That's alot of design!"

Shellhammer calls designers his heroes. "They give up comfort and security to follow their dreams," he says. "That takes courage." And with both Fab and Bezar, Shellhammer pushes designers to dream big and take the business world by storm. In fact, he penned an essay for Dezeen titled You're a design entrepreneur, nota designer. Essentially, he challenges self-employed designers to bootstrap their businesses, accept feedback to inform their approach, seek exposure at every turn and fully embrace a business mindset.

Another key to Bezar's success is a brilliantly conceptualised and refined brand identity, which proved to be a unique challenge for Shellhammer and his team. Can you believe an initial trademark and company name denial led to the enterprise we know today?

"We had a brand and a name we loved and then it was taken away from us," says Shellhammer. "In those moments of despair some of the best decisions and work can emerge. It was a lesson that when things don't go your way, there's usually a better solution or idea once you get through it." Because the team was forced to abandon the initial (and more literal) name, the design language and identity evolved into something sharp, modern and gender-neutral that actually reflected the pillars of the brand.



The Bezar logo is simple, modern and versatile with a wildly infinite colour palette. As Shellhammer describes, "it's a disc, a coin. It has two sides: our designers on one and our customers on the other." It's an ingenious visual representation of the Bezar's commitment to buyer and maker. Plus, with a multitude of colour combinations, the brand stays fresh and dynamic at every turnit's interactive and everchanging. For example, the website's logo changes colour every day. The daily e-mails change hue every single day. And Shellhammer's business cards spread a wide continuum of colour. He even requires each new acquaintance to choose their favourite, which reflects on their own personality. "There's a consistency in our inconsistency that works," Shellhammer writes in the Medium article Building Bezar.

Our Design Scouts are a "team of passionate, tasteful, kooky folks from various walks

of life" who scour the world over to curate a

jaw-dropping collection of unique goods.

And beyond visuals, the beauty is in the detailsfrom the "Bezarchives" to the #howbezar hashtag to the enterprise's collaborative ethos. Bezar is a virtual paradise that marries online shopping with top-notch UX. Brands require a point of view, and Bezar has undoubtedly nailed it.

So what are you waiting for? Go to bezar.com and find the quirky product perfect for you! Non-US readers, brace yourself. Unfortunately Bezar is not yet shipping internationally, but Shellhammer says to "sit tight"they're not slowing down yet.


PROFILE // Nataly Lee

NATALYLEE

Shillington Graduate

INTERVIEW BY ANTHONY WOOD // PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETERIS TENSION



Nataly Lee has cultivated a vibrantly diverse creative

career. Since graduating from Shillington, she's made

her own rules and realitysplitting her time and talents

between creative pursuits and location. She currently

works as a stylist, photographer, blogger and designer

between Australia and Phnom Penh.

We sat down with her to learn more.

How did you get your start?

Having a creative career wasnt something I imagined was possible as I came from an immigrant family and the expectationor so Ithoughtwas to become a doctor or a lawyer. Itwasnt until I was at university, interning as a stylist for a local publication that I discovered my passion, and natural talent, for all things visual. Unlike styling, which I feel I came into by accident, the move to becoming a designer wasvery intentional.

What have you been up to since graduation?

The day after I graduated I moved to Cambodia. Since then, I have been working as a freelance designer, photographer and Creative Director in the capital, Phnom Penh. Aside from my freelance jobs, I also have a lifestyle brand, SAAT, and I'm setting up NOOK, a positive and creative space that focuses on food, design and community.

Since Shillington, I have been presented with so many incredible opportunitiesopportunities that may have always been there, but which I did not have the confidence to pursue.

What do you love about being a designer?

I love the fact that I get to be creative every day. Ilove that I get to work on interesting projects andcollaborate with so many talented and inspiring people. I love that through design I get to live a richer and more meaningful life.

Tell us about your blog, A.HA. How does that venture enhance your work as a designer?

A.HA is a food/photography blog which I created initially as a way to hone my photography skills. Since then it has become a platform for me to showcase all the wonderful things I see and a

medium in which to develop my voice, visually and otherwise. This voice informs my work asadesigner.

Could you tell us about a favourite recent professional project?

My favourite projects are the ones where I can work with a client early on in their journey and help them tell their story. I recently did the branding for a sustainable furniture brand called Alchemy Design Co. It was a big branding project which included everything from logo design, stationery design, styling, photography, video and website design. It's so rewarding seeing a brand come tolife from the very beginning.

Tips for freelancers?

Always be nice to people. Maintaining good relationships is the most important thing in business and this is never truer than when freelancing. Most of your work will come from recommendations so if you are an easy person to work with then you are more likely to get the work. Also, care. The best projects are always the ones where you have cared about the work you are producing and the clients you are working with. Ifyou care, it shows. If you dont, it also shows.

How did Shillington help you create your own creative career?

I can honestly say that studying at Shillington was the best thing that Ive ever done for my career. To say that it gave me the confidence to put myself out there as a designer is somewhat ofan understatement. Not only did it teach me the technical skills (which I felt were a missing piece of the puzzle), but it gave me the confidence to go for bigger jobs and challenge myself in ways that Ithought were unimaginable.



What's the biggest lesson you took away from Shillington?

Like life, everything in design has a purpose. Dont use a colour or a font just because you like it. Ask yourself, why?, and if you dont have an answer, dig deeper.

Any advice for fellow creatives?

Develop your own style. The thing that makes your work different from others is YOU. Understand yourself, what you like and dislike, and develop a personal style that is reflected in your work. Let your work be an extension of who you are, and create things that you like. If you do that then it doesnt really feel like work. Do everything wholeheartedly. It shows. Finally, beauthentic and kind. It goes a long way.

Where do you see yourself in a year's time?

Well, if all goes according to plan, I will be in Cambodia, doing exactly what I am thankfully able to do now; living my dream.

Like life, everything in design has a purpose. Don't use a colour or font just because you like it. Ask yourself, 'why?', and if you don't have an answer, dig deeper."


OPINION // Steph Ransom

The printing press, French curves, Letraset, computers, desktop printers, desktop colour printers, powerful computer graphic software and of course the World Wide Webeach of these technologies changed the way graphic designers went about their practice, charged for their time andinvested in the tools of their trade.

The web in particular has provided designers with access to global design inspiration, research at our fingertips, quick and fast ways to show design mock-ups to clients and wonderful avenues to share ideas, techniques and trends.

However, it has also brought with it the bogeyman of crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing businesses in the design industry offer their clients cheap design solutions and a huge array of choices, all from a pool of designers that live on all corners of the globe.

It sounds very much like utopia for clients and hell onearth for the local design industry. But is it?

For those of us who have invested in a design education and value our professional design skills, it can be enormously frustrating to wrestle with the ethics of crowdsourcing. While we can complain about unfair rates for subpar work and the devaluation of our craft the fact remains, crowdsourcing is here to stay.

YOU'RE CROWDING MEWORDS AND ARTWORK BY STEPH RANSOM

So where does that leave us?

Perhaps the emergence of crowdsourcing will force us to come out of our matte black shells to sell our skills with more confidence. Graphic designers are not known for salesmanship. We prefer our work to speak for itself and for clients to simply recognise the value in our talent.

We need to differentiate ourselves from the anonymous designers behind crowdsourcing platforms. Because let's be clear, a professional graphic designer does so much more than produce agood looking layout, logo, package or website.

It would be hard to find an industry that hasnt

been touched by digital disruption. It has

certainly loomed large in the design industry.

However, for as long as graphic design has

existed tools have emerged that have changed

the face of our industry.


OPINION // Steph Ransom

We collaborate.

Crowdsourcing by nature leads to client-led design. The client art directs the designer. The process is reactive, rather than inspired and proactive.

In contrast, professional graphic designers collaborate with their clients. From brief to presentation through to amendments to the final solution, the collaborative process between client and designer brings rich and targeted results.

Often this means that an entirely different solution is reached from the one the client had initially envisaged. A good designer will know when to push the boundaries but still meet the clients brief. An interesting opportunity can be seized, a brave andpowerful direction taken.

We consider the big picture.

Professional graphic designers will develop a brand strategy and design solution that works for the business as a wholenot just that one isolated issue. This ensures that there is optimum potential for continuity of communication on many applications and longevity of the design as the business grows and changes.

We are real people in real time.

So many tasks that we do in our everyday lives are now done without face to face communication banking, shopping, even being friends! It's important to remind ourselves and our clients that potent design results are driven by personal contact.

Well-written or obtained briefs, diligent process and constructive collaboration are vital to a successful design solution, but there are also those wonderful a-ha moments that lead to powerful results. And they dont just come out of nowhere!

A quick throwaway comment from a client over a cup of coffee can spark a great idea. Or a walk through a business environment can lead to a deeper understanding of what makes the business tick. Conversation and observation feed a designer's instinct and create the perfect environment forthe creative light bulb to switch on.

We value long-lasting client relationships.

Developing a great working partnership saves everyone money. As professional graphic designers, we get to know our client and their business well over time. This pays off for both partiesmostly because there's a shared history with no need to repeatedly explain the business's function, essence and goals. We even keep an eye on what our clients competitor businesses are doing and ensure along the way that we know as much as we can about that industry.

And beyond this, a proactive designer will also see opportunities for visual communication that the client may not see themselves. These opportunities are well-informed because there has been a successful working history inplace.

Our skills have the potential to create enormous value for our clients. In contrast, crowdsourced design really is a new generation version of the local print shopcheap and cheerful. While there is definitely a place for this basic level of service, it shouldn't become the new normal.

So, perhaps the reality for professional graphic designers is that crowdsourcing is forcing us to sharpen our sales pitch. We now need to educate potential clients about what skills a professional designer brings to the table and why this is better than the cheaper alternative.

If we can do this our face-to-face practice will be very much alive andkicking.

How are we different from the "crowd" of crowdsourcing?

12FEBRUARYWHAT: SUPERGRAPH WHERE: ADELAIDE

Supergraph is Australias Contemporary Graphic Art Fair that celebrates design, print andillustration.

Ends 14th February 2016.

08FEBRUARYWHAT: PAUSE FEST WHERE: MELBOURNE

Pause Fest is the premier creative tech conference and festival for Asia Pacific, a catalyst for innovation, and a uniter of industries: a showcase for the leaders of the worlds future economy.


07APRILWHAT: WEBVISIONS WHERE: NEW YORK

WebVisions explores the future of design, content creation, user experience and business strategy in an event that inspires learning, collaboration and entrepreneurism.

09FEBRUARYWHAT: WEBSTOCK WHERE: WELLINGTON

An annual celebration of the magic of the web and those who craft it, celebrating it's 10th anniversary in2016.


15MARCHWHAT: SMASHING CONFERENCE WHERE: OXFORD

SmashingConf Oxford is packed with smart real-life solutions and techniques, ranging from front end to design to UXand a few delightful surprises along the way. Two days, one track, 14 brilliant speakers and 350 fantastic attendees.

Ends 16th March 2016.

22APRILWHAT: GENERATE NEW YORK WHERE: NEW YORK

Generate conferences are presented by net magazinethe worlds leading print and digital publication for web designers. A source of inspiration, education and networking opportunities, this year's Generate will be packed with more top content from world-class speakers.

20JANUARYWHAT: THE OREILLY DESIGNCONFERENCE WHERE: SAN FRANCISCO

The OReilly Design Conference is where interaction designers, UX designers, user researchers, product designers, product managers, and entrepreneurs will explore new ways design will shape the future.

This three-day conference is a deep-immersion experience focused on providing designers with the full stack of skills they need to remain competitive and create the next generation of products and services.

Ends 22nd January 2016.

08APRILWHAT: OFFSET WHERE: DUBLIN

With over 2,500 attendees each year, Offset has fast become one of the worlds most inspirational, educational and vocational conferences for the design and creative industries. Representing industry at all levels, speakers are key disruptors and influencers in their field driving everything from huge global campaigns to awe inspiring personalprojects.

Ends 10th April 2016.

CALENDAR:JAN 16 MAY 16

05MAYWHAT: 99U WHERE: NEW YORK

The goal of the 99U Conference is to shift the focus from idea generation to idea execution, providing road-tested insights on how to make your ideas happen. The conference brings together some of the world's most productive creative visionaries and leading researchers to share pragmatic insights on how ideas arebrought to life.

Ends 6th May 2016.

26MAYWHAT: OFFF BARCELONA WHERE: BARCELONA

OFFF is more than just a Festival hosting innovative and international speakers, it is more than a meeting point for all talents around the world to collaborate, it is more than feeding the future. OFFF is a community inviting all those who are eager to learn to participate and get inspired in a three-day journey of conferences, workshops, activities andperformances.

Ends 28th May 2016.

11MARCHWHAT: UXHK WHERE: HONG KONG

User Experience Hong Kong (UXHK) is a learning event dedicated to bringing all product and service design disciplines together, from research, marketing, design, technology and the business to name a few, who are interested and passionate about designing great experiences for people and business for a better worldfor all.


19MAYWHAT: HOW DESIGN LIVE WHERE: ATLANTA

HOW Design Live is where creative professionals in all disciplines with a range of experience come to learn from the brightest minds in the creative industry and beyond. Its where you can discover new ideas, new sources of inspiration, new skills, new connections with other creative professionals. HOW Design Live is where you can get face-to-face with brand leaders, big thinkers and design heroesin sessions both large and small.

Ends 23rd May 2016.

22MAYWHAT: SEMI-PERMANENT WHERE: SYDNEY

One of the largest events of its type, Semi-Permanent is a creative platform spreading art and design inspiration. It consists of a conference and side events which include exhibitions, competitions, workshops and parties. Its a week long celebration of all things design.

Ends 23rd May 2016.

17FEBRUARYWHAT: DESIGN INDABA CONFERENCE WHERE: CAPE TOWN

The annual Design Indaba Conference in Cape Town features the best of global creativity all on one stage. The event is independently curated with a focus on case studies and ingenious problem solving, rather than simply eye-catching portfolios, conference alumni are contemporary industry pacesetters.


02MARCHWHAT: INTERACTION 16 WHERE: HELSINKI

Interaction 16 is organized by Interaction Design Association IxDA.org. The conference will bring nearly 1000 design professionals, leaders, students and volunteers together to enjoy three days of workshops and lectures. The overarching theme that Interaction 16 explores is whats next, in the context of the future of interaction design as a craft, as a profession, and design practice as awhole.


11MARCHWHAT: SXSW WHERE: AUSTIN

The South by Southwest Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW is the premier destination for discovery.


SHILLINGTON IS A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN INSTITUTION PROVIDING COURSES AROUND THE WORLD. TURN YOUR PASSION INTO A CAREER

IN JUST 3 MONTHS FULL-TIME OR 9 MONTHS PART-TIME.

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shillington post—issue 03

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