Luke Weller (Illustrator) Lecture wright up

Today we received a lecture from illustrator Luke Weller.

Luke is an english illustrator based in the South of England. He works mainly across Europe for companies such as British airways and the financial times.

Luke's lecture was comprised of two main elements one was talking to us about his career in illustration and the second was giving us tip on how to succeed in the creative industries.

Throughout the lecture Luke explained how he got into illustration, gained clients, kept clients and much more all the while suppling us with useful tips; these tips are listed bellow.

-Be polite. Although this should be used in everyday life its good to remember. Always be punctual, polite, don't argue with the art director who is commissioning you and when you get a job offer always reply ASAP don't make them wait like some people do.

-Don't join an agency to early. Joining an agency as soon as you leave university is not advised. Its a better idea to spend a while working on your portfolio and getting a better understanding of the industry as if you have no knowledge of the industry an agency may take you for a ride.

-Planning. Always plan before producing work, it pays of to produce a 'rough' (a rough sketch) so the art director can say if they like the direction you are going in. This can save alot of time and effort. You should spend roughly 10 of the time you have for the project planning.

-Let your self recharge. Don't work all the time, you need to relax and let your brain cool down. If you are constantly working your ideas will become diluted and forced.

-Keep experimenting. It always pays experiment and try new things, you never know if you are going to like a new style unless you try it.

-Don't worry about your style. You will create your own style naturally over time, if you start worrying a threating over your style it wont be as pure and you will loose sight of what else is important such as the work you are doing at the time. Don't force it, it will just happen.

-Make your self stand out. When self promoting you have to remember that around 50 or more people are doing the exact same thing a week, so you need to stand out and make an impression. Luke does this in quite an interesting way, he sends art directors letters with his website on the back in a nice font and them the art directors name hand written on the front. These letters are sent out quarterly, about 150 at a time.

Each of these tips are useful and I am sure they will all come in useful at one point in my career.

Annie Leibovitz

"Born in Waterbury, Connecticut, on October 2, 1949, Anna-Lou Leibovitz is the third of six children. She is a third-generation American whose great-grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe. Her father's parents had emigrated from Romania. Her mother, Marilyn Edith, née Heit, was a modern dance instructor of Estonian Jewish heritage; her father, Samuel Leibovitz, was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. The family moved frequently with her father's duty assignments, and she took her first pictures when he was stationed in the Philippines during the Vietnam War

At Northwood High School, she became interested in various artistic endeavours, and began to write and play music. She attended the San Francisco Art Institute,where she studied painting. For several years, she continued to develop her photography skills while working various jobs, including a stint on a kibbutz in Amir, Israel, for several months in 1969."    

Before Leaving the U.S the Leibovitz family would move around America going from army base to base. Annie say's this was what let her see things as an artist. She would spend so much time looking through a pre made picture frame (The car window) that she developed a photographer eye before she even used a camera.

While in the Philippines Annie bought her first camera, she photographed in and around the Army base that her family was stationed at. As there was little to do in the area Leibovitz began using the bases darkroom as her own hobby shop. Soon her talent was realised and she was offered to attend the Philippines University, as she was not happy about being in the Philippines she talked her parent into letting her move back to San Francisco to study.  

Leibovitz continued to shoot and study in San Francisco documenting the world around her. At the start of the 70's Annie's boyfriend took her for an interview at the recently launched Rolling Stone magazine, she took a bag of photographs. Following this interview she was given the job. She began shooting and in 1973 she was named Chief Photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine. She was known for her intimate fly on the wall photography style. She would integrate her self into her subjects lives spending a number of days with them to get the images she needed. By doing this Leibovitz gained a transparency, being able to float around the subjects shooting at her leisure giving the images a much more natural feel.  Leibovitz career lasted at the Rolling Stone for ten years at Rolling Stone. During this time she shot many of the leading celebrities from the music scene such as John and Yoko (after shooting John Lennon Annie's image was use on the cover of Rolling Stone, this was the moment Rolling Stones Publisher knew she was something else and decided to support her and help her to blossom as a photographer. Later in her carrer (1980) Leibovitz would shoot the last photograph's of John Lennon a few hours after the shoot he would be shot dead by Mark David Chapman in New York City. 

During her career at Rolling Stone Magazine Annie spent a year touring with The Rolling Stones on there 'The Rollings Stones Tour of Americas 75's'. Working as the tours head photographer. Although a great collection came out of this year of touring the literal 'Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll' life style took a tole on Leibovitz solidifying and encouraging her drug use. These habits continued and worsened until the end of Leibovitz career at Rolling Stone where when was emitted to a rehabilitation clinic. After getting clean Leibovitz took her career in a different direction and became a photographer for the newly founded vanity fair and much more glossy, fashion based magazine. 

While working at vanity fair Annie had to take a more commercial approach to her photography, moving away from the intimate reportage style and on to a more formulated way of shooting. Although this would take the depth away from so photographers work it furtherd Annie's. She would create elaborate store lines and backdrops for her images, afterward enhancing the image in post production. Leibovitz still shoots for vanity fair too this day along side Vouge and other projects. 

While working at Vanity Fair Annie became close with Susan Sontag a writer and essayist. The two developed a close and intimate relationship over the years. Untill her death in 2004. 

"During Sontag's lifetime, neither woman publicly disclosed whether the relationship was a friendship or romantic in nature. Newsweek in 2006 made reference to Leibovitz's decade-plus relationship with Sontag, stating, "The two first met in the late '80s, when Leibovitz photographed her for a book jacket. They never lived together, though they each had an apartment within view of the other's." Leibovitz, when interviewed for her 2006 book A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005, said the book told a number of stories, and that "with Susan, it was a love story." While The New York Times in 2009 referred to Sontag as Leibovitz's "companion", Leibovitz wrote in A Photographer's Life that, "Words like 'companion' and 'partner' were not in our vocabulary. We were two people who helped each other through our lives. The closest word is still 'friend.'" That same year, Leibovitz said the descriptor "lover" was accurate. She later reiterated, "Call us 'lovers'. I like 'lovers.' You know, 'lovers' sounds romantic. I mean, I want to be perfectly clear. I love Susan." 

Susan challenged Annie and encouraged her to progress with her work. Susan wanted Annie to document the more pressing issues of the time and as She was heavily involved with sarajevo at the time She asked Annie to document it. Documenting the war in Sarajevo really changed Leibovitz's view on the world, it opened her up to the larger issues in life. Making her work at Vanity Fair and Vouge seem much less important. She has continued in the fashion field but finds more satisfaction in photographing current issues.   

Leibovitz is still working as a photographer and creating work to this day. 

Reportedly this is Leibovitz's favourite image from her time spent with the Rolling Stones. 

Chris Redshaw (Lecture write up) Revolver Revolver

Revolver Revolver 

Revolver Revolver is an award winning design agency now based at Derby’s home of creativity, Friar Gate Studios. Started in 2008 by creative designer Chris Redshaw Revolver Revolver is in its sixth year of trade. Throughout this time they have been 'creating hand-crafted, bespoke work for our clients'. The clients they have worked for vary from social care, motorsport, property, marketing, photography, motion graphics, education, events and festivals, art and design, catering, law and professional services. 

The agency consists of 6 members all bringing their own styles to the space. 

During the lecture Chris Redshaw (Revolver Revolvers founder) explained how the company began and the struggle he had to over come to get the company on its feet. He also stressed the importance of enjoying what you do and being happy in the work play, he explained how he felt it was important to discuss ideas and have the whole office collaborating and sharing ideas. He believed this was the best way of achieving high quality work. 

As this ethos is more suited to smaller agencies Redshaw isn't so keen on Larger agencies. The first agency he worked for was the reason he fell in love with the design industry but after the owner died his son took over and the company went down hill from there. Not long after the company was sold to become part of a mass agency of around 100 designers. Redshaw didn't like the way the company worked, everyone having a small desk area boxed off being given jobs to do on there own with very little collaboration. So he left and did a university degree in new media. After the 3 year course he began working on starting Revolver Revolver. 

The lecture was useful. It projected the message that you don't always have to be the most business savvy person to make a name for yours self or to even start a company, as long as you have a dream, the patients and the determination. 

It also raised the point that sometimes it more about who you know more that what you know. There are maybe better ways of making an impression on an agency that just sending an e-mail and if you re sending an e-mail make it personal, research the comapany, what they do and so on. 

Quite a useful lecture. 

William Eggelston

William Eggleston 

William Eggelston is the American pioneer in colour photography. He was the first artist to get colour photography recognised as a legitimate medium of photographic art. Appearing in a 1967 art exhibition at the New York gallery of modern art.

Eggelston was born 1939 in Memphis, Tenesse. The home to much of his work, He still continuously shoots there. On his 18th birthday Eggelston received his first camera (a Canon Rangefinder). The year after he purchased a Lecia and his love affair with the brand began.

In 1959 Eggelston first laid eyes on the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson's, he instantly fell in love. Becoming very interested in Cartier-Bressons use of the decisive moment. Much of Eggelston's style has branched from certain elements of Cartier-Bressons work. As he only takes one shot per scene the decisive is even more important in his work.

Six years later in 1965 Eggleston Began working with colour transparency film then two years later moving on to colour negative film. At the same time meeting with other influential photographers of the times such as Garry Winogran.  This was also the same time he had his first part in an exhibition, a big thing as this was the first time colour photography was featured in a an artistic exhibition.
Eggelstons work wasn't received to well by critics being described as 'boring' and 'Perfectly Banal'. Although this was a total oversite of his genius it is in many ways true, as Eggelston work was compiled of the ordinary and mundane. So in a way it is 'perfectly banal' but in all the right ways. Taking an everyday object or scene and adding multiple layers of depth and intrigue.

Eggelstons keen eye and ability to capture the beauty in something ugly is what makes his work special. He focuses on the less important elements of a situation photographing ashtrays and the sky at a wedding for example instead of the bride and groom. His work has never had any purpose other than to be appreciated as art, which is part of the beauty of his work. There is not point and that in turn is the point. His entire catalog of work follows the same theme and thats 'life today' each image is a representation of when it was taken, whether this is the fashion, architecture, technology, drug culture of the time and so on.

Its interesting to see how Eggelston has influenced other photographer such as Martin Parr. Looking at Parr's work you can see a connection between the two photographer both photographing the world around them, shooting the mundane and ordinary but giving it that air of intrigue that it dosen't seem to have normally. Parr has taken a slightly more satirical twist to his work but still follows a similar path. You can also notice a difference in personality through the work, as Eggelston is a very shy and timid man his work rarelly featues people directly and if it does it almost fleetingly. taken so subtly that the subject hasn't noticed adding an amazing effect to the images. Where as in Parrs work you can sense more confidence with straight up portraits and subject interaction.

In the 70's Eggelston also experimented in film after witnessing Andy Warhole using video recorder. He took the camera back to his home town and further documented life as it was. Wild parties, friends, family and compiled it into the film 'Stranded in Canton' a surreal film that has received mixed reviews across the board.  

Overall I really enjoy Eggelstons work. It's easy to be arrogant about this style of work, saying anyone could have done it but I personally believe this isn't true at all. I seen many artists trying to emulate his work and a lot of the time its just stuff and it is banal and it is mundane. It takes a special type of photographer to make that banal subject matter beautiful and Eggelston does this seamlessly

Louise West - Lace Artist (Lecture write up)

Louise West is a Bobbin Lace maker, she works in many fields of lace making most particularly English bobbin, Buckinghamshire point ground and Floral Bedfordshire. Also work on more contemporary styles such as working with wire and metal clay. Louise started lacemaking in 1992 and progressed quickly by undergoing many courses. She proceded to further her skills with City and Guild courses in both contemporary and traditional lacemaking. After the City and Guild Louise continued onto a BA (Hons) course in textile design, on graduating she proceded to start an MA Art and Design course at Derby University. While on the MA course Louise worked with precious metal clay, working on the concept that lace is anything with holes in a patterned orientation. 

Mid may through her time at university she was commissioned to create work to appear on the facade of the Nottingham contemporary.   

Although Louises talk was about her career and lace. What I took away from it was how university can propel you into the profesional world. With out being to obvious her talk centred around how she had been introduced into a professional world through education and the courses she went through, making connections and gaining lots of exposure through shows. This all resulting in many awards for her work, numerous pieces of her work being placed in galleries and even her work being printed in concrete and displayed on the facade of the Nottingham Contemporary. An amazing feet for any artist of any field. (The facade work is below)

Her pure commitment and passion is incredible even if you aren't interested in Lace her work is amazing. Her more contemporary work with metal is inspired and shows she has a real vision when it comes to her field. She is leading the way with contemporary lacemaking in my eyes, carving her own path in the art world. 

Gemma Germains (Lecture write up)

Gemma Germains

Gemma Germains is a founding member of Well Made studio, a leading studio in Liverpool. After spending a decade working in the creative industry she has lots of opinions and advise to pass on, this is what her lecture was based around today. Showing us the exploitation of unpaid interns, the best ways to get experience and many tricks of the trade. 

The Well Made studio consists of Gemma, Doug and Joe. Doug and Joe work as the designers and Gemma promotes there skills to different companies.

The studio has been live for 2 years and has worked with some very high profile clients from Pedlars to the wombats.

In Gemma’s talk she raised some very interesting and controversial points. She started by explaining her situation and what she does. She then explained in detail how she got there, comparing the extreme highs and the equally extreme lows.

To visually represent her journey Gemma stuck post-it notes on the wall in a time line format. She starting with University this was situated in the center of the wall and ending with now (Well made studios) which interestingly only got a little bit higher than university. There were many points that built up the timeline such as getting pregnant and becoming homeless one year into Uni (this being a rather low point), working on the Arctic Monkeys first and second album (This being one of the highest points) and also finding her self at a PR company in a high ranking role that she hated (This was a rather low point). 

Gemma then went onto discuss her view on unpaid internships or should I say her utter disregard and hatred for them.  She explained how they were slowly destroying the creative industry and turning it into a mass of clones. This was happening due to the fact that everyone trying to enter into the creative world after university is told they have no worth and with out two years of experience they are meaningless or unemployable. So the only way of getting the needed experience is through an unpaid internship, but the problem with this is that the only people that can afford to do this are quite well to do young people that will get backing to work unpaid for two years, other people that don’t have the backing from parents or need to care for other and support other fall away from the creative industry. This is turning the creative industry into one huge clone that can only relate to one another but not the whole world. 

Another problem with unpaid interne ship is that it makes you very disposable, if a company is paying you they have an incentive to keep you and nurture you helping you progress but if they don’t need to pay you a company will just let you get on with your work, not really including you with large important projects or important interesting work. Then once the intern realizes there is now future for them in the company there work quality will drop, they will be fired and another intern will be hired.

So Gemma proposed that none of us should partake in unpaid internships boycotting the whole idea and if everyone had the same idea companies would have to change their ways.

 But this raised the question what would we do about experience, as obviously the whole of the world isn’t just going to stop all at once. So Gemma put an idea forward instead of joining another company start your own!

Start your own business with like-minded people, this wouldn’t only help you gain experience in a sense of furthering your experience in your chosen field film, photography, graphics etc. It would also give you experience of how to run company skills most people only graze until much further down the line.  

There was also a lengthy Q&A where Gemma answered any queries people had, such as how to fire a client, the best ways to go about getting a client, whether or not go to university etc.

I found her idea starting you own company very interesting. It was strange as me and a friend had been toying with the idea of setting up our own website to show case our work and the work of our close friends as we have a rather create circle of friends. It seems like this lecture was a sign, the kick up the arse that we needed to actually put our ideas in place and start to put the site together. 

The idea is to just show case our work but after a while we may move it into a more business orientated site. 

I found Gemma Germains lecture very interesting and it opened my eyes to a lot of things, I don’t totally agree with all of her ideas but I defiantly think she’s talking sense. She gave me lots of ideas and if I only take away one thing from her lecture its that you don’t have to follow the crowd, you don’t have to be unhappy and used as a slave for two years to get a job. Do something different, make a change, show other people there are other options.