tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24524081790053227272024-03-12T23:22:21.231+00:00Graphic Design BlogAlicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-3489410096222329642013-03-17T21:29:00.000+00:002013-03-17T21:29:02.225+00:00"Know Your Onions" by Drew de SotoYou might remember me talking about this book in a previous book wish list post. It's been something I've been meaning to get for a little while then went ahead and purchased it earlier in the week.
The book contains tips, useful things to remember and fantastic advice that I think all designers, no matter how talented they may be, can benefit from.
I think this book will definitely be on my Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-14999348458749106212013-03-04T09:17:00.000+00:002013-03-04T09:17:46.677+00:00Apps I Love #1Firstly, It's some how March. I must not have been paying attention because it's really crept up on me. This weekend has been the first for a while we have enjoyed beautiful sunshine, which is so nice as it signals the start of spring!
Speaking of new things; I recently downloaded a new app I had read recommendations of on another blog. It's called Pudding.to and it's like Instagram but better (Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-68529094072119427652013-02-27T09:52:00.000+00:002013-02-28T09:50:08.359+00:00Inspiration: Chalk TypographyChalk typography is something I have been coming across a lot lately on my internet travels. I am a big typography fan and the vintage twist to these designs is just the kind of style that I love.
Chalk is an interesting medium as it creates a lovely texture that is so difficult to achieve an accurate replication of on Photoshop. I like the simplicity of one colour balanced with the elaborate Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-41269944521137115622013-02-26T13:00:00.000+00:002013-02-26T21:28:46.062+00:00Find A Job OnlineI have been MIA on the blog front recently; starting a new job and having a sizeable commute means that thinking and writing up blog posts have been put on the bottom of the to do list. I'm hoping to write a few posts tonight so I can keep updated. Anyway, on to the main focus of this post...
Finding a job can be tough, especially being a graduate. I spoke repeatedly banged on about my Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-25999775740498139272013-02-11T22:21:00.000+00:002013-02-11T22:21:16.817+00:00New Job: First DayToday was my first day at my new job.
There was snow, ice, floods, traffic and a broken sat nav but I got there!
I had met the people I would be in a team with early last week at a quarterly meeting so knew a couple of names and faces, which made me feel much more at ease.
Everyone was really welcoming, warm and friendly and I'm excited to get working on a whole range of new projects for a Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-62623401120033624762013-02-06T17:51:00.001+00:002013-02-07T00:18:25.850+00:00Graphic Design ValentineIt's just over a week until Valentines day on February the 14th. Choosing a present can be tricky, so to solve this I created a gift guide for graphic design nerds to give to their other halves in order to inspire them to be creative or vice versa.
Creative Valentines suggestions include:
Pantone mugs for the caffeine addicted designer. Set of 6 £54.99 from The Gifted Penguin
"I loveAlicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-83516839128681410882013-02-04T17:58:00.000+00:002013-02-04T17:58:26.270+00:00Book WishlistPreviously I have written a few posts about design books (here, here & here). I like books. They're a great inspiration and there are varieties to suit every need, plus you can always come back to them. These are some of the books currently on my book wishlist.
"Know Your Onions: Graphic Design" by Drew De Soto £14.99 Amazon
After reading Lorna's review on this book I have really Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-30575531215047832822013-02-02T13:16:00.001+00:002013-02-02T13:34:05.217+00:00Interview Creative BriefAs this post title would suggest this is about the creative brief I worked on as part of my application for the job at The Air Ambulance Service. Luckily I got the job so decided to share my efforts at this design task :)
The interviewers positively encouraged a creative outlook on this brief which which was so refreshing as it allowed a lot of freedom which is always exciting.
The brief itselfAlicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-87064090948527178142013-01-31T20:16:00.000+00:002013-01-31T20:17:02.088+00:00I Got The Job!If you follow me on twitter you will already know that today I received a phone call informing me I got the job!
The job itself will be working with The Air Ambulance Service as their designer, this might sound a bit random but it really is the perfect creative job. The main role will be helping to design across a whole range of items; web, brochures, campaigns, mailers and newsletters to name aAlicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-1363714282885727352013-01-27T14:14:00.000+00:002013-01-27T16:21:28.090+00:00Amazing StudiosThis is quite an unusual post for me but it's quite fun so I decided to just go with it. The topic is really interior design for designers; taking a look at some cool spaces and studios to inspire you to be more creative with your own work space.
In general I prefer the cleaner desks but there are some good ideas on how make your work space a source of inspiration whatever your tastes are. I Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-26392302434557153782013-01-25T11:38:00.000+00:002013-01-25T11:41:13.147+00:00New ToysRecently I had to have my mac wiped. Luckily I am quite up to date with my time machine and was able to recover most things last night, although it did take some time.
I was also able to add on some new Adobe goodies which I am very excited about.
This is a screen shot of my desktop, if you look to the dock you will be able to see a whole load of new adobe software I have added.
I have Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-26652537451339207922013-01-25T11:04:00.000+00:002013-01-25T11:04:51.680+00:00Mac & Genius BarI've had my mac for about three and a half years.
In that time we've had a great relationship; it got me through my degree and didn't complain about being covered in sandwich crumbs and nail varnish. A perfect partnership.
This was until Tuesday, when my mac shut down and refused to boot or let me access any files. After trying a few Internet tricks with no luck I decided to book a Genius Bar Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-20419085167272567852013-01-22T10:49:00.000+00:002013-01-25T11:46:57.238+00:00Handwriting AppI have found a cool new app.
No, it's not Temple Run 2.
It's called iFontMaker, an app that allows you to make your handwriting into a font. I'm a fan of all things typographic and I love the way that this app allows you to add some personality to your emails.
I've only had time to play with it quickly but will aim to compile a whole alphabet of my own handwriting
Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-59982741209356384682013-01-21T19:59:00.000+00:002013-01-21T19:59:00.814+00:00Creative CVsCVs: most people have them, and most people will have some boring microsoft word construction that gives meaning to the word dull.
Which is fine; it does the job and tells the story. That is unless you work in the creative industries, where your CV should be an extension of your portfolio and showcase your creativity and flair.
Recently I redesigned my CV in a clean, typographic, swiss style Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-1070847149190970452013-01-18T10:36:00.000+00:002013-01-18T10:36:11.938+00:00Final Year Uni SurvivalThis January thousands of final year students will be going back to uni to complete their degrees and get the grades, my boyfriend and friends included. While thinking about them and what they would be facing in their most stressful term I began to think back to how I was feeling this time last year.
The last part of uni can be difficult with the amount of work and revision balanced between Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-25668654235543684302013-01-11T17:03:00.001+00:002013-01-11T17:14:12.535+00:00General UpdatesI have been getting up to lots of things lately, so to save four short blog posts I have condensed it all down into one little post with bite sized pieces. Like with any catch up you always have to have a hot drink, which explains the image, obviously.
Image sourced from here
1. You may have noticed that my blog has had a slight make over recently and now has more of a personal feel. Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-68334204934615004452012-12-28T15:24:00.000+00:002012-12-28T15:24:19.795+00:00New Years ResolutionsThe festivities of Christmas are gone and now people are beginning to look towards New Years Eve and with that comes new years resolutions. Resolutions are the promises we make to ourselves at the start of the new year to ensure success, happiness, health and wealth in the following twelve months. With new years nearly here I have been thinking about my own resolutions, specifically career Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-31221454565379846422012-12-23T19:40:00.000+00:002012-12-23T19:44:53.024+00:00Pinterest Picks
I love Pinterest; It's a great way to collate a digital mood board of inspirations and interests that can be simply updated, edited and shared. Many times I have been lacking ideas and turned to Pinterest for much needed inspiration, plus it can link you back to the original source, which is generally very useful.
I am a big fan of typography, hand rendered type and anything remotely Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-36508507169174836472012-12-23T01:00:00.000+00:002012-12-23T01:00:53.054+00:00Placement Reflection
Image via French Knot
I've just completed my four week placement at Big Communications in Leicester interning as a junior designer. I had a great time, got some fantastic real life experience and met a whole host of lovely people. During my time on placement I learnt a great deal and it helped me clarify some of my thoughts and ideas about employment.
I'm a real worrier; anyone that Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-71306026006066850852012-12-03T21:35:00.000+00:002012-12-03T21:51:40.128+00:00Digital Christmas Card
Now that we are entering December everyone is beginning to feel festive; putting up the Christmas tree, wrapping presents and sending christmas cards.
This Christmas I wanted to do something different and send cards I have designed digitally through email. I suspect most of you are like me and have far more of your friends' emails than home addresses, which makes the process of emailing your Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-12265978071614907092012-12-01T14:33:00.000+00:002012-12-01T14:34:17.033+00:00Placement UpdateThis past week I have been enjoying my first week of placement as Big Communications in Leicester as a graphic designer. My previous blog posts had charted my application and interview so it seems only right that I post a quick update on how my placement has been going so far...
This week I have been working on emailers, livery, print work and branding so it has been a really varied few days butAlicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-57816105369384227862012-11-12T10:41:00.000+00:002012-11-12T10:42:57.907+00:00Graphic Designer GamesMy friend Nic has recently started her MA in Design and to showcase and organise her research has begun blogging her notes. Her blog is packed full of fascinating articles (see it here). One particular post about a logo guessing game (see it here) really intrigued me and got me thinking about other graphic designer games that were available (and also everybody likes games).
Nic spoke aboutAlicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-25401348125066814182012-11-06T12:16:00.000+00:002012-11-06T12:18:19.640+00:00Five Interview Tips
If you follow me on twitter you will know that I have been job hunting since I finished uni this summer, and you may also know that I had an interview on monday. With the meeting still fresh in my find I decided to compile a list of "tips" and advice for graduate designers also going to interviews.
1. Research
An obvious piece of advice but you will be glad you know all of the companies' Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-58003085007353888992012-11-01T17:44:00.000+00:002012-11-01T17:45:13.478+00:00GraduationYesterday, four months after finishing university, I eventually graduated along with my class mates at Chester cathedral. Before the ceremony I had been nervous about being on stage because I am really clumsy and not much into being on a stage, but thankfully being on stage lasted about 8 seconds and I didn't trip.
Halloween is quite an unusual date for a graduation as most others tend to be in Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452408179005322727.post-3221419151824691122012-10-26T12:11:00.001+01:002012-10-26T12:12:17.334+01:00"Scripts" & Hand Rendered TypeLast week I got a copy of "Scripts" by Stephen Heller and Louise Fili, it was a book I had wanted for a while and eventually decided to buy from Amazon as it was pay day. The book is a fantastic example of vintage typefaces and elegant lettering from what the book describes as "design's golden era". The book itself is a whole selection of ads, notes, book covers and hand writing complied with Alicevaughanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14424443901616344998noreply@blogger.com