12 IN 12
Twelve things you might learn in your first year as a Designer.
When that dreaded time of year comes around where the Universities open their gates and out pour the thousands of Design graduates looking for that elusive first job, I get a little troubled. I feel that there's a veil of mystery (sounds like a Harry Potter prop) between the act of leaving College (or University) and landing that all important first job: and this is something I tried to correct in the production of the 12 IN 12 booklet.
12 IN 12 is an accompaniment to a lecture I gave in April to the students of University College Falmouth*. When I was invited to give a talkie I didn’t want to resort to the usual ‘show and tell’ approach that I had experienced so many times during my Design education (as I feel there are more suitable people to tell the story of The Chase—my place of work—other than myself). I decided that it would be more useful to the students to speak of the things that they would really like to hear about the industry they’re entering. Thus, I gave an account of 12 things that I had learned in my first 12 months as a designer. Things that I feel I could have only learned through an active participation in the industry, and not from the outside looking in.
Not only offering advice on placements and portfolios I also raised issues about the professional practice of Designers and the industry; I touched upon the different cultures of designers: those working more rationally and logically compared to those who strive for an emotional connection between their work and the audience; how Graphic Design can be just a job, where as being a designer can be different; and the realisation that Designing can be a reasonably small part of the job.
The twelve things are:
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Understand what Graphic Design means to you.
Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.
A portfolio is for life, not just for an interview.
Placements matter. Do them.
The Design industry is small, everyone knows everybugger else.
Participate with other people and share your ideas.
Graphic Design is just a job, but being a designer is different.
Fall off your bike. If you don't fail then you are not trying.
Life and work exist outside of London.
Designing is only, about, 20% of your job.
Have a life outside of Design.
Work hard and be nice to people.
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The 12 lessons were discussed in an open and honest, black-and-white manner to engage the students and to allow for accessibility between them and the subject. With this in mind I allowed a lot of mistakes to remain uncorrected; I wrote it in my personal, conversational tone (which, you’ll find, reads with a Yorkshire accent); and I handed them out for free.
The booklet has also been endorsed by D&AD and is used as part of their Design Education programme:
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D&AD is very pleased to be involved with reproducing 12IN12. We believe it’s what every graduating creative needs to know and complements the work D&AD already do: helping creatives strive to be the best.
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And now the hard sell, if you're a student or a curious person that is.
Do you want one? A lovely booklet just for you, from me? Well, you can have one if you want.
The feedback I had from the lecture, and the booklet in particular, was overwhelming. It ranged from a ‘helpful and entertaining read’ to reassuring a uncertain student that they ‘really did want to be a designer’. Taking its relative success on board, I’ve decided to offer the booklet, free of charge, to any student that would like one. Ok there's a catch. To get one for free you'll have to attend the lecture—big catch, I'm sorry.
Although, a beautiful bundle of 10 Penneth and 12IN12 can be found in Magma Bookstores in London and Manchester for the combined price of £5.00.
But if you're from what us islanders like to call "overseas" and would like to buy a copy (or if you simply live nowhere near Manchester or London, you can get one for free—ish.
So it's not quite free, I'm afraid that there would be a little cost to pay—a nice, deserving fee for the good people of Royal Mail (good when they're not picketing—to deliver the shiny, big-ish parcel to you: and at a not-so-bank-breaking cost of £3.50 (£5.00 outside UK) you'll still be able to get the round of beers in.
I don't have an over supply of these things (they're not stacked up in the garden under a giant tarpaulin) so if you'd like one then be quick.
Now, don't be shy, if you want one just ask.
OUT OF PRINT
The booklet is available from D&AD Education.
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The D&AD edition (yellow newsprint—see below) will be available from D&AD and Magma bookstores.
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Accepted In-Book at D&AD 2009
The Certificate of Typographic Excellence from the Type Directors Club, New York 2009.
Bronze for Best Use of Typography at The Roses Design Awards 2008.
Nominated for Best Promotional Brochure at The Fresh Awards 2008.
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*Two things. Uno: I've also given the lecture nationally; and Dos: I don't like the name University College Falmouth—too, well, University isn't it—and I miss the days when it was called The College of Arts—good times. That's it really.
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