Table of contents for Spring 2016 in Computer Arts

Anti-establishment.Anarchy.Freedom. Is punk back? Hell yeah – if punk means using a DIY ethos to challenge the status quo. This issue is all about breaking the rules. It’s about being agile,and forward-thinking, and brave enough to carve your own career. Inour special report this month, we celebrate the rise of the creativeentrepreneur. Find out why a new breed of designers and illustrators areturning their back on traditional career paths to create their own dreamjobs – and how you, too, can forge your own path – on page 58. Our lead feature, meanwhile, explores five cutting-edge techniquesfor building your profile. After all, if you’re out there doing somethingdifferent and amazing, you need to let people know. From masteringsocial media to achieving the holy grail of self-promotion, word of mouth,it’s packed with…

Illustrator Jack Xander works blends digital and analogue techniques, plucking from the realms of character design, technology, science and social issues. cargocollective.com/jackxander PEBBLE WATCH I get all my emails, alerts and important stuff through this nifty little watch. It also looks a bit like an 80s cereal box toy, which is amazing. TORTOISESHELL GLASSES These are really just to allow my eyes to function at regular peeper capacity. Pretty certain I rep more of a ‘Jack Duckworth’ look than David Hockney, unfortunately. CARHARTT JACKET I admit that I bought this after seeing Matthew McConaghey wear it in Interstellar. I thought, ‘Hey, if it can survive through dust storms in 2065… I’m in!’…

ABOUT THE WRITER Andy Sandoz is a co-founder and creative partner of digital agency Havas Work Club, and the new president of D&AD. He is passionate about the internet as a power source for both business and social change. www.sandoz.co.uk Back in the day, I was more of a casual – Ellesse, Tacchini and Fila tracksuits. That was followed by a brief b-boy spell, going by the graffiti tag of ‘Phase’ (for reasons that thankfully now escape me) and sporting a black bomber jacket with a Run-DMC patch on the back that was as cool then as it is today. Punk was before my time. I never really listened or cared for it. Prior to hip-hop being hip, The Jam had brought The Modern World and our town was overrun…

We try to approach an identity system in the most sustainable way – we want it to last. We usually ask our clients for as much time as possible before we show them our first ideas. We need to be sure that we’ll stay comfortable with it after living with it for a while. We tell our clients that we could design a logotype in 10 minutes, but it takes much more time to know if it will last. For example, when working on the identity for Festival Hors Pistes (a contemporary art video festival at the Centre Pompidou in Paris), we had to deal with the existing museum’s identity and its typeface. Hors Pistes could be translated as ‘off-road’ or ‘off-track’, so what we added to the typeface was…

VIDEO CONTENT WATCH THE VIDEOS AT bit.ly/ca253-magpie OR INSIDE OUR DIGITA L EDITION : SEE PAGE 40 2 MAGPIE Founded in 2008 by college friends David Azurdia, Ben Christie and Jamie Ellul, brand consultancy Magpie (www.magpie-studio.com) has a list of clients including BAFTA and Channel 4. In 2015, the studio became the biggest mover in our UK Studio Rankings, jumping 16 places to number two. Magpie is on a roll. While the London-based branding consultancy has been doing highprofile work since its foundation in 2008 – one of its very first projects was designing commemorative stamps for the Royal Mail, for instance – the past two years have seen it turning heads within the industry, winning back-to-back D&AD Yellow Pencils and leaping 16 places in our own UK Studio Rankings,…

1 Show that you work in a team As well as proving their design skills, interns must prove themselves as potential team members. “A big part of it is showing that, no matter what task you’re given, you’re willing to do your best,” says Hannah Muddle. “Even small things can be important if they help with the running of the studio.” 2 Integrate yourself into the studio “Become part of the studio culture,” advises Hannah. “Make sure that you’re useful at all times – there’s always something you could be doing. And talk about the other work the studio is doing. If you fit well, they’ll value your opinion, so don’t be afraid to speak up.” 3 Learn to explain your ideas “The design industry isn’t just about making things…

THE INITIAL IDEAS I came up with three ideas: one featuring ribbon type, a 3D version of the logo with floating islands, and type in a liquid style. Often I’ll print out an isometric grid very faintly on the paper (in blue so it doesn’t show up on the scanner), then sketch on top of that. I try to get everything worked out on paper beforehand. DETAILED SKETCHES I made more detailed sketches and switched to the poster format. Once I extruded the logo onto a 3D plane, there was a hurdle: it was all much taller than Bestival was used to. I met with Josie Da Bank to discuss how we could add other elements to the space, so it would be the right dimensions for mobile and online.…

STEVEN WILSON This issue’s cover illustrator Steven lives and works in Brighton, having fallen in love with the town while studying illustration there. He enjoys foraging through flea markets for obscure books and paraphernalia for his experimental work, which he calls “somewhere between pop and psychedelia”. stevenwilsonstudio.com SARA HOROWITZ Founder and executivedirector at Freelancer’sUnion for nearly twodecades, Sara is also aMacArthur Foundation‘Genius’ fellow and deputychair of the Federal Reserveof New York. Her adviceon promoting yourselfand networking effectivelybegins on page 42. www.freelancersunion.org ANDY SANDOZ Andy’s a co-founder andcreative partner of digitalagency Havas Work Club,and the new president ofD&AD. He is passionateabout the internet as apower source for socialchange, and on page 22 hediscusses the need for rulebreakingin an industry atrisk of becoming stale. www.sandoz.co.uk KEN KIRTON Ken established Hatowith Jackson Lam…

Danish foundry Playtype creates custom typefaces for brands and corporations, and has an extensive library of fonts for individuals and companies creating their own designs. It also has an online store packed with stationery, clothing and homewares that showcase its iconic typefaces, and its ABCD and Berlingske poster series feature some of the letters its designers find most beautiful. “We wanted to show how powerful and how different the expression is depending on the choice of typeface and weight,” explains Therese Ditlevsen, head of PR and marketing at Playtype. “The colours used were chosen to show the typography as a graphic element.” All of Playtype’s paper products are printed in Denmark, half an hour from its Copenhagen office. “We wanted to see the structure of the paper through the prints,”…

1 STINA JONES ILLUSTRATOR AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER www.stinajones.co.uk “I sometimes leave little original artworks out in the city or at events for people to find and keep. I pop my business card on the back for the recipient and also post clues on my social media feeds so anyone who already follows my work can find them if they’re in the area. From time to time the pieces (and my tweets about them) get picked up by someone unfamiliar with my work who has then gone on to either buy something from my store or contact me about a project.” 2 LOUISE FILI ART DIRECTOR www.louisefili.com “As a designer of restaurant identities, I had long been following the trajectory of Jody Williams, a celebrated chef who made a name for…

1. SHARE YOUR CONTENT Use your content as an asset for getting traffic and links from other sites. There are hundreds of sites on the web where you can showcase your design work. You can start with a simple search like “submit graphic design work” in Google, finding sites to submit your best content. 2. CATEGORISE YOUR CONTENT Think of your website as a library, where content is stored in relevant categories making it easier to find. Identify themes in your designs that tie them together, whether it’s the medium, subject matter, colours or even the attitude of the piece, and use those themes as categories on your site. Aggregating the content in these categories will both make the site more navigable, and make your site appear more as an…

1. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT “It’s a very democratic process on deciding what we post,” reflects Emily Gosling, online editor at It’s Nice That. “We have content meetings twice a week to discuss if projects being pitched should be featured. Work that makes the cut tends to be well presented, innovative, creative (natch), recent and does something we haven’t seen before. Our readers also love anything involving tits, arses and GIFs.” 2. PROVIDE AN EDITORIAL HOOK “For a piece of work to appear on Creative Bloq, it has to be notable enough to stop people in their tracks,” says global editor in chief, Dan Oliver. “Also, and this where we would differ from many sites, we really look for an editorial hook that gives a piece of work a broader appeal…

The route to the top of the creative industry is well trodden: gain a degree, undertake work placements, find a junior designer role and work your way through the ranks to creative director – one day running the whole design show with the passion, talent and experience gained along the way. But there is another route, and it’s one an increasing number of young creatives are taking: that of the creative entrepreneur. The design sector is remarkable for its pyramid structure. A handful of megaagencies are perched at the top, while thousands of smaller companies sit at the bottom alongside specialist freelancers. Unlike large agencies, which hold key clients on large retainer sums, this new breed of creative entrepreneur works in short bursts on independent projects, effectively as a freelance…

OVER-PRESENTING Don’t attempt to reinvent the wheel – let the work do the talking rather than think that superfluous presentation will hide poor or average design thinking and skills. Be bold in your presentation by all means, but only if the work demands it. OVER-FILLING YOUR PORTFOLIO Showcase only the work that truly makes you feel proud – don’t just include as much work as possible for the sake of it. It’s your first portfolio and you need to be showing the best stuff. There’s so much work to see at these shows, you need to filter yours carefully. LEAVING OUT CONTEXT If your work lacks any context then it’s no more than eye candy. Stay with your work and explain the thinking behind it, and add some information sheets…

1 More effort = more success It’s easy to assume that the more hours you put in, the better the work your studio will create. But beyond a certain point, the extra effort becomes counterproductive. Reducing the hours you spend in the office helps build in time to focus on the big picture. “People sometimes get too far into [everyday detail] and aren’t able to rise above it,” points out Ben Christie. “Working a four-day week gives you a bit of head space.” Christie believes the fact that Magpie’s senior staff work four-day weeks is crucial to the studio’s ability to sustain the quality of its output. “It enables our personal lives to work better, and that keeps us fresh,” he says. “Creativity is directly linked to happiness.” 2 More…

SLEEP SOUND BY JAMIE XX A freelancer said this track was on the stereo at every studio he worked at – it’s the branding agency song. It became a joke; people would roll their eyes but no one would change it. DANCING ANYMORE BY IS TROPICAL One of my colleagues that worked on Ascot that’s now moved on loved this one. It’s uplifting, it’s a very funny track that really gets stuck in your head. AGARTHA A BY VOXY P This is a much more chilled out tune. If I’m working late and no-one else is in the studio, and I’ve got lots to get through, I’d listen to this.…

I usually start sketching somewhere away from my desk like a coffee shop. Being away from everything puts me in a good mindset to start. I find working very small at the start helps as you can kind of visualise the bigger picture at that stage. For me, it’s important to get details worked out on paper. I’m much more creative on there than drawing on the computer because there’s less between my brain and what I can see. I really like working with isometric grids so when I’m ready to start designing, I’ll print out an isometric grid on the paper then sketch on top. It’s a good idea to use a colour like blue to do this so the scanner won’t pick it up with your drawings. Working…

The key to exciting typography is reinvention, says Paula Scher in the latest of our series exploring designers’ passions. Old forms take on a new life in the hands of enthusiastic creatives with the confidence to combine the historical with the contemporary What’s been most exciting for me over the last five to 10 years is the fantastic explosion of expressive and exploratory typography everywhere. I’m completely inspired by the emergence of so many type designers of tremendous skill and talent, hailing from all over the world. I admire designers like Henrik Kubel, Peter Bil’ak and Kris Sowersby, to name just a few. They find old forms and reinvent them, or craft seemingly impossible ligatures, or make bizarre stencils, or combine shapes previously unthinkable, and they stretch readability. They increase…

NICK CARSON EDITOR Nick is back from his sabbatical, and already feels likehe never left. He’s been helping his partner Katie withDisability Awareness Month at a local uni, and theyhope to complete the sale of their new house soon. JULIA SAGAR ACTING CO-EDITOR Julia checked out some incredible old-schoolilluminated type during a long overdue (and slightlyhungover) visit to the Book of Kells after an excellentOFFSET Dublin with art editor Jo. JO GULLIVER ART EDITOR Jo’s OFFSET highlights include Jonathan Barnbrook’stalk on typography and David Bowie, and meeting UnaBurke in person. She’s also helping her housematerepaint the lounge (and giving creative direction). CAT ELLIS OPERATIONS EDITOR After almost six months keeping the mag running like clockwork, Cat will sadly be leaving CA this issue for an exciting new role as downloads…

STREET VIEW ACCESS OUR GOOGLE MAP AT bit.ly/CAIstanbul SOHO HOUSE ISTANBUL Evliya Çelebi Mahallesi Meşrutiyet Cad. No:56, Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey 34430 www.sohohouseistanbul.com I usually go here to work. The beautiful interior and calm atmosphere help me concentrate on my projects. If I feel that I need a break, I usually go to the gym or attend an event here. It’s really everything I need in one place. HELVETIA Asmalı Mescit, Gen. Yazgan Sk. No:12, Istanbul, Turkey 34330 bit.ly/ca253-helvetia I go here when I miss my mum’s cooking. They cook really nice traditional Turkish food, and you can even combine five different foods from various dishes. It’s delicious, healthy and fast. SALON IKSV Emekyemez, Şişhane Sk. No:5, Istanbul, Turkey 34433 www.saloniksv.com A really nice and cosy music venue with a nice…

OFFF BARCEL ONA 26-28 MAY Barcelona, Spain www.offf.ws Barcelona’s creativity festival provides a provocative programme of progressive, occasionally controversial work uniting web, motion, sound and graphic designers. Whether theorists, professionals or students, all of the delegates and speakers – who this year range from Aardman Animations to Non-Format – have one thing in common: unquenchable curiosity. SEMI PERMANENT 26-28 MAY Sydney, Australia beta.semipermanent.com Creative platform Semi Permanent has announced the line-up for this year’s event in Sydney, with a focus on the future of the internet and travel. Its aim is to provide an insight into the current state of design around the world, while also equipping creatives with the tools to improve their own craft and providing unique networking opportunities. This year it has ditched the lectern in favour…

@SIDE_BYSIDE Our self-initiated stuff (Side vs Side & 100 Glyphs) got us the Sainsbury’s food type gig – http://bit.ly/sxstype. @WJITZE My side project @dripfordrip got me friendships, followers and clients, while also being a ton of fun to work on! @KRISTALYN_04 Left business cards on all the commuter rail train seats. @STUDIOVANDAAR By sending my music album for review, but getting an illustration assignment instead because they really liked the artwork. @SATYRIKAL I look for people who make things I like, find areas where they are weak, and offer services in those areas. Also, Craigslist. @PIXELPARROT2015 By making people think we are this huge company. There are only three of us. @LADIPALMA Inside the elevator, at home! Twice! Going up with some printed flyers, ‘client’ asked me: “You made those?”…

1. PICK YOUR NETWORK Rule one: you don’t need a presence on them all. Identify which social media platforms your target audience use, pick the most relevant, and concentrate on managing your accounts properly. Whether you opt for Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest or others, treat your channels visually and verbally as an extension of your brand (if you’re a freelancer, it’s especially important to position yourself as a brand on Facebook – with a dedicated page – and to be familiar with Facebook’s rules for businesses). 2. JOIN THE DISCUSSION It’s all about engaging the right audiences with valuable content. Don’t just spam people: share useful links, comment on industry issues and show that you’re commercially aware. Join Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn groups for designers, illustrators and…

HAVE A PASSION This difference between regular entrepreneurs and creative entrepreneurs is in the doing. You’ll be the one art directing, designing websites or editing video. Ensure you have the passion and drive to want to do these things each day. BECOME BELLIGERENT Having a passion for creative work is one thing, but having the determination and sheer ruddymindedness to pursue it at all costs (if you don’t already) is something entirely different. HAVE A VISION The point of being a creative entrepreneur is to be in charge of your own destiny. Ensure you have at least a rough idea of where that destiny is heading, and direct your efforts that way. COLLABORATE Collaboration means understanding and enlisting complementary skill sets. Reach out to other creatives with your ideas, and…

ORIGINAL AND CONSISTENT STYLE We’re interested in artists with a unique approach that is consistent throughout their work. Clients need to be sure that the artist is consistent in delivering their visual style. COMMERCIAL APPEAL We’re looking for work with commercial appeal – work that is not simply beautiful or visually appealing, but can emote and convey narrative. COMPETENCE AND VERSATILITY We look for illustrators who are technically competent and can turn their hand to illustrating people, animals, scenarios, interiors and more. We need to be confident that an artist could respond to almost any brief. CURATION We’re also looking for illustrators who understand the power of their own work. In our experience, it’s probably better for a graduate to show six to eight memorable works than dozens of forgettable…

1 Freedom Not surprisingly, for Fischer, the biggest benefit of freelance life was the freedom it offers. “I miss the ability to get to the end of a week and say, ‘I’m going on holiday for two months,’” he says. “The social side is fun, too. It’s great to work in different-sized studios and get around the industry.” 2 Creative satisfaction In contrast, full-time work offers more creative control over jobs – and as a result, more creative satisfaction. “In my portfolio from two and a half years ago, most of the fun jobs were ones I’d done outside of work,” says Fischer. “Now they’re all ones I’ve done since I’ve been working here.” 3 Rates of pay “Financially, freelancing is definitely more lucrative, assuming you have enough work coming…

1 Defining the strategy Task one was to develop the brand promise, ‘Raise the standard’ and ensure the relationship between the two brands felt close, but still had their own personalities. For Royal Ascot, the brand had to be regal and prestigious, and reflect the heritage, whereas Ascot felt fresher and more contemporary. 2 Setting the mood We gathered images from brands that Ascot and Royal Ascot attendees would identify with and analysed where they were and weren’t similar. We also looked at how other companies differentiated sub-brands, such as Land Rover with the Discovery versus the Defender; also fashion labels and chefs. 3 Crowning glory We researched the crown logo and its origins, because there had been a lot of different iterations over time. The existing logo was very…

PROJECT FACTFILE BRIEF When Charles Williams was asked to develop the artwork for Isle of Wight music phenomenon Bestival’s 2016 event, he riffed on their theme – ‘The Future’ – to create a sci-ficity in party mode. CLIENT Bestival www.bestival.net STUDIO Made Up www.madeup.org DURATION 3 months LIVE DATE February 2016 CHARLES WILLIAMS ILLUSTRATOR Manchester-raised, London-born illustrator Charles runs one-man illustration and type studio Made Up. With a surreal 3D aesthetic, he’s worked for some huge brands (Nike, Adidas, Google, BBC , VW) and also works on editorial projects for the likes of GQ, the New Yorker and Wired. THE DESIGN BRIEF Charles Williams Josie da Bank, the creative director of Bestival, had seen a magazine cover I worked on last year for Stuff magazine and felt I understood the…

1 BALANCE WORK WITH REWARD Understand what you’re asking of your co-designers and make sure that they are rewarded so it’s a balance. We ask people to design a letter but then give them the opportunity to download and share it. 2 KNOW YOUR TESTERS Get lots of different people to user test but you also need to understand who is testing it. Analyse their feedback but also look at their background and analyse how that may have affected their feedback. 3 CLEAN THE CODE We spent a lot of time tackling performance as handling too many elements at the same time can create a performance bottom out. Creating clean code is really important to make sure it runs smoothly.…