Table of contents for November 2015 in Computer Arts

1 Music WWW.IDEASBYMUSIC.COM FOUNDED: 2008 LOCATION: Manchester Judge Ben Brookbanks calls Music “a looming presence outside of the M25, one of those rare agencies that can pull off low-profile, telling its story through the press, building a legend without spinning the yarn itself.” 2 Universal Everything UNIVERS ALEVERYTHING.COM FOUNDED: 2004 LOCATION: Sheffield (and London) With a total of just six staff running the show between Sheffield and London, and a client list that includes global brands such as Google and Apple, Universal Everything is in a star-studded microcosm all of its own. 3 Studio Makgill WWW.STUDIOMAKGILL.COM FOUNDED: 2007 LOCATION: Brighton The studio guided by one overarching philosophy – to make beautifully simple work – has certainly made a name for itself with the judges: Mike Bond calling the brand designers…

1. DON’T TAKE ON TOO MUCH Freelancing is feast or famine. You’ll spend a week twiddling your thumbs then three jobs will come in at once – turning down a project is hard to justify financially. Only ever take on work that is worth your day rate (or more) or that you’re really passionate about, so that if something else comes in last minute, you’re not tempted to overload. 2. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE TIME It’s so easily done: you factor in three hours for a task and then it takes an entire day. You’re at peak capacity, so you don’t have any overspill. The only solution to this is estimate how long something is going to take you, then double it. Or be prepared to work evenings and weekends. 3. SPOT…

SKETCHES AND CONCEPTS I like to work in clear stages which are agreed in advance with the client. There is generally a first stage of sketches and concepts, then a round of revisions where we make different choices. Then I focus on one proposal to develop it further into the final design. The relationship with Kaffe 1668 was great. STYLE APPROVAL With this project, there was a clear reference in terms of the style of illustration that was required. I presented three labels to show the client the main composition and the idea of relating the benefits of the juice and the illustrations. This was approved quickly, so I could move onto the rest of the bottles. INJECTING PERSONALITY The work was influenced by the fact that it was for…

BOB YOUNG Creative director, Alphabetical, London www.alphabeticalstudio.com KIRSTY CARTER Co-founder, APFEL, London apracticeforeverydaylife.com JAMES HILTON Creative director, AtelierStrange, London www.atelierstrange.com LEE BRADLEY Creative director, B&W Studio, Leeds www.bandwstudio.co.uk CHRIS GARRETT Managing director, Bert, Manchester www.bertagency.co.uk TIM BEARD Creative director, Bibliotheque, London www.bibliothequedesign.com MIKE BOND Strategic Director, Bond & Coyne, London www.bondandcoyne.co.uk DAVID JONES Creative director, Buddy Creative, Exeter www.buddycreative.com LOUISE SLOPER Head of design, CHI & Partners , London www.chiandpartners.com JAMES LITTLEWOOD Director, Design Project, Leeds www.designproject.co.uk STUART WATSON Executive creative director, DesignStudio, London www.wearedesignstudio.com ROBERT SOAR Creative director, Dragon Rouge, London www.dragonrouge.com BOWMAN Co-founder, Dust, Sheffield www.ilovedust.com KATE FRANKLIN Co-founder, FranklinTill, London www.franklintill.com DANIEL FREYTAG Creative director, Freytag Anderson, Glasgow www.freytaganderson.com ANDREW JONES Creative director, FutureDeluxe, Brighton www.futuredeluxe.co.uk MARK BONNER Creative director, GBH, London www.gbh.london DANIEL IBBOTSON Director, Graphical…

TURN OFF OUT OF OFFICE If you’re able to check your work email once a day, consider leaving your out-of-office off. Often clients are put off by a ping-back, and will immediately commission someone else rather than risk you turning it down. With no out-of-office, it gives you the opportunity to agree with the caveat of a later start date. REDIRECT TO AGENT If you have an agent and they agree, redirect your emails via them, and ask them to text you if there is a major commission. That way you know you won’t miss anything big but won’t have to constantly check your mail. TAKE SOME WORK AWAY Unpaid time-off is hard to do financially, especially if you’re just starting your career. Unless it’s going to cause massive issues…

Most clients want flexibility. For our tech, media and edgier clients they are thinking of more flexible solutions that are a ‘kit-of-parts’ which allow the end-user to personally augment how their space feels and functions. For a major client in lower Manhattan, my colleagues and I had the opportunity to develop a space that was literally a three-in-one solution. Within each individual workstation footprint three different style settings could be achieved through various user modifications. On the flip side, some clients find too-flexible settings are a maintenance headache. For more lively firms we’re providing a range of ‘controlled choice’ elements. While too much flexibility gets juvenile, some key elements can keep the employees excited about their facility, and also keep a light level of continuity and order. Another rise we’re…

1. LONELINESS “How was your weekend? Really like what you’re doing there. Would you like a cake?” These are all things that you are not going to hear if you’re freelancing at home. Keeping worries, doubts and Facebook addiction at bay when you spend your nine-to-five solo takes Jedi-like mind control. 2. MOTIVATION With no-one breathing down your neck, everything you do – from the quantity of work to when you start in the morning – is completely under your control. Keeping excited without the enthusiasm of others tests your love for design to the max. 3. PRIORITISING Every client you work for always expects their commission to be your top priority. Often it’s not. Trying to keep everyone happy when six people want you to do last minute changes…

FOCUS ATTENTION Use your time efficiently. There is no point staying up burning the midnight oil if you will only achieve a couple of things. Switch off all distractions like the TV and mobile phone, and focus on the task you need to complete. KALE OVER CAFFEINE Take regular screen breaks and keep your body fuelled. Caffeine might keep you awake but it isn’t always the best for focus (or late night panics) and will make it impossible to get a good rest when you finally hit the hay – not good if you need to crack on in the morning. Keep yourself hydrated with water instead, and eat plenty of magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy greens and avocado, they’re natural stress-relievers. UNLOCK ACHIEVEMENTS Break your project down into simple…

Lighting Harsh strip lighting can be replaced with softer LED lighting, which mimics more closely natural sunlight. Full spectrum desk lamps are available from specialists like www.thenaturallight.com. Workspaces Clustering desks into ‘teams’ is counterintuitive. Instead, giving each staffer a work area which they can modify to their needs helps meetings to actually happen in meeting areas, while work happens in work areas. Modular desks like the ones available from Steelcase.com should do the trick. Music Invest in a decent office music system and a streaming service, and let anyone add tracks to an ongoing playlist. Not only does this keep things diplomatic, it also means you’re less likely to see individuals hunkered down in headphones isolation. Plants Nuke the CO 2 in your office by introducing some oxygen-boosting ferns and…