Artists Who Inspire Me

In looking at where I want to be, I thought I'd take a closer look at the artists behind some of my favourite pieces of work, see how they started, how they've grown, developed, and become successful doing what they love.

Julian Vallee

Julien Vallee is a graphic designer and art director from Montreal, Canada, who creates fantastic work for clients from The New York Times Magazine to Swatch and MTV-One. Julien's work was granted recognitions such as the ADC Young Guns 6 Award and Creative Review Award 2010. It was featured in numerous publications and appeared on various book and magazines covers such as Computer Arts, IdN and Gestalten's book Tangible. It was also exhibited around the world in Berlin, Zurich, Montréal, London, Shangai and Seoul, just to name a few. Some of his world renowned clients include GOOGLE, NOKIA, MTV Hits, AOL to name but a few.

Here's a quote I found about him...

"I’m not sure if you can describe one as young as Julien Vallée as an expert in his field, but he must be very close. Dexterous hands and an enthusiasm to make his ideas reality have held him in good stead and seen him pick up many high-profile commissions and admirers. As adept at creating either static or moving images, Julien always seems to add an unmistakable stamp of quality execution to everything he does."

- Alex Bec and Will Hudson, If You Could Collaborate Exhibition.

What I particularly like about Julien's work, is how no matter how diverse the project he's working on, and how different it seems from the last, it's all linked by his unmistakable style and signature stamp of quality. As much as I'd love to do new things, for totally different people and companies, it would be even better to have my own creativity shine through throughout, thus building a portfolio not just impressive by named clients, but also by the individual flavour and themes running throughout that are my own.

Julien's website is here...
http://www.jvallee.com/index_jvallee.html

Andy Needham

Andy Needham is a freelance motion designer, editor and compositor based in London. Having worked in the industry since he graduated in 2004, he has since built up his skills and work base into professional compositing and editing. His clients are vast and varied, working as part of a studio on music videos from everyone such as Take That to Coldplay, or working freelance on his own back, with high end employers such as Apple, Ericsson, and GQ.

What I like about Andy, despite the fact he has the coolest first name, is how even though he's been honing his skills in After Effects and Final Cut Pro for about 8 years now, he's the first to say he's still learning! That’s what I love about this industry, there's just so much to learn and the challenges and experiences you have are different on a daily basis. the prospects are certainly exciting, to say the very least!

You can visit Andy's website here...
www.imcalledandy.com

Eden Soto

I don't know many details about Eden, his website is rather vague showing just his show reel and a link to his other work, but his name is certainly well known and even more well respected in the field of motion graphics. Widely regarded as one of the most refreshing and creative talents in the industry today,  Edens work is primarily internet based, keeping him on the front line and proverbial cutting edge of motion graphics. Hell, you might argue that he IS the cutting edge of internet motion graphics, as few artists can compare with his delightful and impressive work.

Displaying a level of master level of motion manipulation that I can only dream of right now, his work is as jaw dropping as it is praise worthy. I look at artists like Eden and just think "Wow, I could never be that great" but now I'm looking at it in a more "Hmm, we all have to start somewhere, and who knows what the future may hold..." So if nothing else, this module is helping me look at the industry in less of an intimidating and scary place where only the elite can survive, and more in a realistic sense, where any designer worth his weight in ability and dedication can make a good living doing what they love. There's always more to learn, and you can always get even better. I love it.

Eden videos can be found here (his website has barely anything)
http://vimeo.com/edensoto/videos

As this module progresses, I shall be looking more and more into the artists who inspire me. Before, I just looked at their work and smiled impressively, but this module already has me looking at them in a different light, thinking that could be MY website some annoying young student is navigating through thinking "Damn, that's hot!". Now I can see myself with a place in the industry, at least it's something I'm certainly aiming to obtain anyway.

Task 1 - Self Evaluation

The self evaluation form really helped put things into perspective, forcing me to look at my aims and answer questions about my future I'd never even raised to myself yet. Here, I elaborate on a few key points I raised within it.

Realistically, what do I want from my professional life?

- Happiness is key, if I’m not enjoying what I do, then I don’t want to be doing it. It really is that simple. I feel so many people waste their lives by doing jobs they hate, just to earn way too much money to buy crap they don't need. I want something different out of life. Diversity, facing different tasks and challenges each day to keep ideas fresh and exciting, not boring, bland jobs that lack inspiration. I’d like appreciation of the work I do, and respect for the effort I make. If that's working for a company, I'd like to be a valued employee who knows he's vital to the companys success. If it's working on my own, then I'd like my name to mean something. I’d like to be rewarded for my dedication, commitment, loyalty, and hard work, with either great opportunities, or just lots of money! Which leads me to my last point, I’d like to get paid comfortably for what I do, and take care of the people I love, but this is nowhere near as important as happiness, which I would take over money in a heartbeat. I’d work for minimum wage doing something I love over getting tonnes of money doing something I hate any day. For me, that is key. And while I've never been in a position earning a tonne of money in order to compare, I'm kind of glad for it, as I've learnt where true happiness comes from in life. And it's not from a wallet.

Where do I want to be 5 years from now?

- If only we could wish and will our dreams to arrive! Ideally, I’d love to be a successful motion designer/director,  who is well renowned and respected for his work, be it in a freelance capacity, or even working for an awesome company that is well established in their own right. I'm drawn to freelance as it allows a certain degree of freedom, although I'm well aware it's a much more gruelling affair, which although lacks security, would still allow me to take on new, fresh work all the time, and work with many different people, in many different places. I would give me the freedom I crave in the workplace, and I wouldn’t answer to anyone. Whatever I'm doing, I’d love to make enough money doing it to fund my own projects on the side and try make something of them too. And who knows, down the line I'd even be open to incorporating some form of teaching into the mix at some too, helping to inspire and pass the torch to the next generation of designers!

What is Professionalism?

The simple definition of the term "professional" doesn't quite do it justice.

To me, being professional is about establishing and maintaining a certain standard of quality, both in your work ethic, and standard of work produced.

In graphics, I feel that being professional is vital to success, maybe more so in any other occupation. Working to a high level, with the utmost passion, dedication and commitment, being able to meet deadlines with creative energy and deliver the clients wishes right to them at a standard above all others, are key aspects of success in this game.

Even working freelance, it's perhaps even more important. It's YOUR name, YOUR work, YOUR studio being represented each and every time you put something out there, and to do so at a less than expected quality will not get you very far.

Using and adhering to copyright is perhaps more significant within the field of graphics, and it's laws are not to be taken lightly to anyone who wishes to play in this sandbox. It's important that as simple code of conduct, we as graphic makers set the standards not only for ourselves, but for each other, and continue to abide by them in our day to day work loads.

It's about settings yourself a standard, doing your utmost to deliver the goods, at the very best level you can, without fail, delay, or excuse. Reliability. Loyalty. Dedication. It's all part of being, professional.

Hello and Welcome!!!

So I figured, new project, new Blog!

One that would stand alone yet run alongside my more practical, hands on specialism work, in order to avoid confusion and keep my thoughts, feelings, reflections and ideas seperately.

This Blog is mainly intended for the bulk of the Professional Studies module then, although I'm well aware that both will be looked at in order to recieve the correct grading. The majority of work on here though will be involving my portfolio development and look into the industry itself as we're asked to anaylse and reflect upon our experience within this task.

Anyway, less chit chat, it's time to be... professional.