Peter and Paul have chosen me for the decoration of a wall in the new Leeds Arts University building. It's very exciting to know that my work is worth to such an important brief, where thousands of students will be able to see every time they go to University. It's a great opportunity to leave a mark behind after been living in Leeds for the last 5 years. A good culmination of a lot of work and learning.
Glad that Peter and Paul have given me this opportunity and super excited to see the final result. It will be great in the future to come in and see my work as part of a bigger piece of work.
Friday, 30 March 2018
Monday, 26 March 2018
Books, books, books
Every year I've made a list of design books I've been buying, and this year has been a very good year for the book industry thanks to me. All these books are recommendations from designers I follow or know and the kind of content I'm really interested in.
Since I'll be moving back to Spain in July, I wanted to get as many books as possible. The reason is that many of these books are not translated or sold from Spain, so shipping costs can get very expensive. I thought it'd be best to buy the books I always wanted to buy plus recommendations from friend designers and people I admire. These are the books I've bought between September 2017 and March 2018.
Modern Design:
· Helvetica Forever: Story of a Typeface - Lars Muller
· Logo Modernism - Jens Muller
Typography:
· How to Draw Type and Influence People: An Activity Book - Sarah Hyndman
Pricing Creativity - Blair Enns
Core Kit - Chris Do
Client Objection kit - Chris Do
Since I'll be moving back to Spain in July, I wanted to get as many books as possible. The reason is that many of these books are not translated or sold from Spain, so shipping costs can get very expensive. I thought it'd be best to buy the books I always wanted to buy plus recommendations from friend designers and people I admire. These are the books I've bought between September 2017 and March 2018.
Modern Design:
· Helvetica Forever: Story of a Typeface - Lars Muller
· Logo Modernism - Jens Muller
· The Best of Brochure Design 7: v. 7 - Wilson Harvey
· 30 Years of Swiss Typographic Discourse in the Typogra Sche Monatsblatter: TM RSI SGM 1960-90 - Roland Fruh
· 100 Years of Swiss Graphic Design - Christian Brandle
· Ornament and Crime - Adolf Loos
· Logotype - Michael Evamy
· Grid Systems in Graphic Design - Josef Mülller-Brockmann
· Josef Muller-Brockmann Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design - Lars Muller
· Why a Man Should be Well Dressed - Adolf Loos
Typography:
· How to Draw Type and Influence People: An Activity Book - Sarah Hyndman
· Why Fonts Matter - Sarah Hyndman
· Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface - Lars Muller
· Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface - Lars Muller
· Type Matters! - Jim Williams
· Detail in Typography - Jost Hochuli
· The New Typography - Jan Tschichold
· I love Type 07 Helvetica - Victionary
Design of Business:
· Brand Dominance: How to Create a Disruptive Social Brand - Aaron Pierson
· I love Type 07 Helvetica - Victionary
Design of Business:
· Brand Dominance: How to Create a Disruptive Social Brand - Aaron Pierson
· ZAG: The Number One Strategy of High-performance Brands - Marty Neumeier
· Nice to Meet You Too - Victionary
· Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action - Simon Sinek
· Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose - Tony Hsieh
Business of Design:
· Know Your Onions: Graphic Design: How to Think Like a Creative, Act Like a Businessman and Design Like a God - Drew de Soto
· It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be - Paul Arden
· 101 Things I Learned In Business School - Michael Preis
· Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers - Alexander Osterwalder
· Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini
· Creative Strategy and the Business of Design - Douglas Davis
· Nice to Meet You Too - Victionary
· Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action - Simon Sinek
· Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose - Tony Hsieh
Business of Design:
· Know Your Onions: Graphic Design: How to Think Like a Creative, Act Like a Businessman and Design Like a God - Drew de Soto
· It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be - Paul Arden
· 101 Things I Learned In Business School - Michael Preis
· Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers - Alexander Osterwalder
· Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini
· Creative Strategy and the Business of Design - Douglas Davis
· The Win Without Pitching Manifesto - Blair Enns
· How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
· How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
· Guerrilla Marketing - Jay Levinson
· Damn Good Advice - George Lois
· 7 Strategies For Wealth And Happiness - Jim Rohn
· Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want - Alexander Osterwalder
· The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy
· The Decision Book: Fifty models for strategic thinking - Mikael Krogerus
· The Power of Self-confidence - Brian Tracy
Others
· Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition (Design Briefs) - Elam, Kimberley
· 7 Strategies For Wealth And Happiness - Jim Rohn
· Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want - Alexander Osterwalder
· The Compound Effect - Darren Hardy
· The Decision Book: Fifty models for strategic thinking - Mikael Krogerus
· The Power of Self-confidence - Brian Tracy
Others
· Geometry of Design: Studies in Proportion and Composition (Design Briefs) - Elam, Kimberley
· A Dictionary of Color Combinations
· Psychology of colours - Eva Heller
Books I might buy before the year ends:
· Psychology of colours - Eva Heller
Books I might buy before the year ends:
Pricing Creativity - Blair Enns
Core Kit - Chris Do
Client Objection kit - Chris Do
Featured at Doméstika for the second time and the archive
A competition project I did for Leeds Arts Uni sustainability activities has been featured on Doméstika (Destacado = Featured) on Friday the 23rd of March.
Being featured is very positive. It gives an extra value to the work produced as other creatives with similar critical thinking and criteria give some kind of recognition to my practice, which is always positive when it comes to getting jobs and starting relationships with clients or agencies.
This event as well as others that have been happening for the last 3-4 years have been registered in a section on my website called "archive". This is a space used to recollect featurings, press mentions, important events and anything related to my practice as a graphic designer.
Being featured is very positive. It gives an extra value to the work produced as other creatives with similar critical thinking and criteria give some kind of recognition to my practice, which is always positive when it comes to getting jobs and starting relationships with clients or agencies.
This event as well as others that have been happening for the last 3-4 years have been registered in a section on my website called "archive". This is a space used to recollect featurings, press mentions, important events and anything related to my practice as a graphic designer.
Courses
During this year I've been doing different courses online. Strategy in naming with Ignasi Fontvilla, editorial design with the legend Oscar Mariné and branding and identity with Saffron consultants. Soon, I'll start another one in art direction with Adrián Somoza and a UX masterclass with José Caballer. They will be combined to produce a brief to challenge myself, as I've been doing with the other courses.
The intentions with these courses are not only to find work to do for uni or to learn new skills. The work produced for this courses is reviewed by the designers in question, and that's a good opportunity to make them see my work and keep expanding my network to the people I really admire.
An example of this is the course I did with Ignasi Fontvilla in naming. This course allowed me to expand on certain points in my dissertation for COP, and I submitted one copy to Ignasi when it was finished. He not only read it, but gave me detailed feedback and put me in contact with a graphic designer that is aligned with his way of working.
The intentions with these courses are not only to find work to do for uni or to learn new skills. The work produced for this courses is reviewed by the designers in question, and that's a good opportunity to make them see my work and keep expanding my network to the people I really admire.
An example of this is the course I did with Ignasi Fontvilla in naming. This course allowed me to expand on certain points in my dissertation for COP, and I submitted one copy to Ignasi when it was finished. He not only read it, but gave me detailed feedback and put me in contact with a graphic designer that is aligned with his way of working.
Online Portfolio
During this year, almost every project I've done for the university has been uploaded to my online portfolio. This is due to the fact that I have been carefully choosing my briefs so they could add value to my portfolio in one way or another.
The process I usually follow is:
1.- Upload the project on Behance. Once this is done, it's automatically uploaded to my website (thanks to Myportfolio). All I have to do is adjust the order it's presented on the layout and a couple more aspects.
2.- From Behance, the project is shared on Twitter, Facebook Page, LinkedIn and Instagram. On Instagram I normally do a series of stories and publications with a link to the project in the bio. On Facebook, I also share it with the groups Tiquismiquis, The Designers League or Logo Geek if relevant as well as the Discord chat I'm running, Designers Creed. Those platforms that are not mine, I normally talk about a different issue and show the project as an example. That way people can relate to it easier and it's not pure self-promotion, but the fact that I'm sharing my project is justified. For example, this last project was accompanied by a reflection of how some projects one thing is gonna smash it and nothing happens vs projects that seem quite average and gives us better results.
3.- Upload the project on Doméstika. This platform doesn't have as much activity and users are not so willing to like projects (UI might be a problem with this), but it's a good way to promote my work in a Spanish speaking community. I have been featured twice there, which is also something interesting to add to the CV or mention in an interview.
Following this process with every project has allowed me to reach more people, make new friends and get placements.
The process I usually follow is:
1.- Upload the project on Behance. Once this is done, it's automatically uploaded to my website (thanks to Myportfolio). All I have to do is adjust the order it's presented on the layout and a couple more aspects.
2.- From Behance, the project is shared on Twitter, Facebook Page, LinkedIn and Instagram. On Instagram I normally do a series of stories and publications with a link to the project in the bio. On Facebook, I also share it with the groups Tiquismiquis, The Designers League or Logo Geek if relevant as well as the Discord chat I'm running, Designers Creed. Those platforms that are not mine, I normally talk about a different issue and show the project as an example. That way people can relate to it easier and it's not pure self-promotion, but the fact that I'm sharing my project is justified. For example, this last project was accompanied by a reflection of how some projects one thing is gonna smash it and nothing happens vs projects that seem quite average and gives us better results.
3.- Upload the project on Doméstika. This platform doesn't have as much activity and users are not so willing to like projects (UI might be a problem with this), but it's a good way to promote my work in a Spanish speaking community. I have been featured twice there, which is also something interesting to add to the CV or mention in an interview.
Following this process with every project has allowed me to reach more people, make new friends and get placements.
Using LinkedIn to get placements
I spoke to John Watters about how difficult is being to get placements at a studio. He generously made a list of people I could get in touch with.
First I got in touch with people in Leeds and surroundings. I messaged a few individuals and then I met Elliot from Propaganda, who gave me another list of people to get in touch with as well as he took the time to speak to those people. He's put me in touch with studios and agencies that regularly take students for placements as well as good people in the industry he thinks is worth to get in touch with.
I contacted them and there have been only a couple of replies, telling me that unfortunately, they are too small and busy to have me in. On a good note, they said I'm doing well and all I need to do is keep trying. These are the studios/agency I've contacted in the last week:
Seesaw Agency
OurCreative
Oslo Agency
MapCharity
Common Room Design
Design Something More
We Are Golden
Thompson Brand Partners
Home Agency
If local studios don't respond I will have to have a broader scope and try to get placements elsewhere. It'll be expensive, as I'll have to find accommodation for two weeks, but I don't mind if the reward is learning from a good design studio. It's an investment, after all.
Someone mentioned that what caught their eye the most is that I met Chris Do. I decided to make a publication with pictures of me with him and a little thought about our meeting and the lessons I've learned from him. The publication got viewed by many people, as Chris Do recommended it. Many likes and thousands of views quickly piled up. Many people connected with me on Linked In. I looked amongst the likes to see if I could find someone in the UK or Spain. There were some interesting contacts to make, so I grew my connections a little bit.
Days later, this post managed to get more than 50 likes and 3000 views. This resulted in more visits and attention to my profile.
I took this chance to share my last project, which got more attention than the usual (which is a couple of likes). This time the post got much more attention.
I like to keep track of who likes my projects. One of the likes came from the creative director of LazenbyBrown in York, a branding agency.
After 7 months of occasional mails, e-mails, postcards and all kinds of approaches I decided to do this one different. Just a couple of days before this happened, Matthew Encina from TheFutur uploaded the following video about how to get in touch with people online in the most efficient way.
He explains that the process can be summarised in 4 steps: be genuine, be curious, add value and go for the ask. That's exactly what I did with Mat, and after 3 messages on LinkedIn I managed to get the placements that I struggled so much to find. I covered the name of the company as the picture could be found alone online.
Matthew Encina's process was super efficient. I PM him thanking him, shared the story on The Designers League getting more than 54 likes and more attention to my project.
We agreed that I'll do placements with them, spending 2 days in the studio with them and the other 3 working from home. Soon after our conversation, they made it official on Twitter and Instagram.
First I got in touch with people in Leeds and surroundings. I messaged a few individuals and then I met Elliot from Propaganda, who gave me another list of people to get in touch with as well as he took the time to speak to those people. He's put me in touch with studios and agencies that regularly take students for placements as well as good people in the industry he thinks is worth to get in touch with.
I contacted them and there have been only a couple of replies, telling me that unfortunately, they are too small and busy to have me in. On a good note, they said I'm doing well and all I need to do is keep trying. These are the studios/agency I've contacted in the last week:
Seesaw Agency
OurCreative
Oslo Agency
MapCharity
Common Room Design
Design Something More
We Are Golden
Thompson Brand Partners
Home Agency
If local studios don't respond I will have to have a broader scope and try to get placements elsewhere. It'll be expensive, as I'll have to find accommodation for two weeks, but I don't mind if the reward is learning from a good design studio. It's an investment, after all.
Days later, this post managed to get more than 50 likes and 3000 views. This resulted in more visits and attention to my profile.
I took this chance to share my last project, which got more attention than the usual (which is a couple of likes). This time the post got much more attention.
After 7 months of occasional mails, e-mails, postcards and all kinds of approaches I decided to do this one different. Just a couple of days before this happened, Matthew Encina from TheFutur uploaded the following video about how to get in touch with people online in the most efficient way.
He explains that the process can be summarised in 4 steps: be genuine, be curious, add value and go for the ask. That's exactly what I did with Mat, and after 3 messages on LinkedIn I managed to get the placements that I struggled so much to find. I covered the name of the company as the picture could be found alone online.
Matthew Encina's process was super efficient. I PM him thanking him, shared the story on The Designers League getting more than 54 likes and more attention to my project.
We agreed that I'll do placements with them, spending 2 days in the studio with them and the other 3 working from home. Soon after our conversation, they made it official on Twitter and Instagram.
We're delighted to welcome @AlejandroZorita on placement in our studio from April onwards, guys got some skills #RawTalent #Typography #NextGen pic.twitter.com/ih6opDI6na— LazenbyBrown (@LazenbyBrown) 24 de marzo de 2018
Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Priyesh: Alumni at Two Times Elliott
After doing a follow up of the Pentagram application with the original poster of the job position on Linkedin, I found out that I wasn't shortlisted. I spoke with John Watters about this and he recommended me to talk to Priyesh, alumni working now at Two Times Elliott. A studio I admire.
I messaged Priyesh and he has been very nice to me. With long messages full of useful information, we've got to talk about my work and he told me he was going to pass it to the creative director. I asked him for some feedback about it, if it's professional for him and if it is the kind of work they see in a strong application.
After some days, Priyesh got back to me and said that unfortunately, they are not looking for anyone at the moment. He said he had a look at my site and saw some nice work and recommended me to show my work physically as much as I could. I thanked him for everything and asked him to get in touch if he heard of any opportunity around.
I messaged Priyesh and he has been very nice to me. With long messages full of useful information, we've got to talk about my work and he told me he was going to pass it to the creative director. I asked him for some feedback about it, if it's professional for him and if it is the kind of work they see in a strong application.
After some days, Priyesh got back to me and said that unfortunately, they are not looking for anyone at the moment. He said he had a look at my site and saw some nice work and recommended me to show my work physically as much as I could. I thanked him for everything and asked him to get in touch if he heard of any opportunity around.
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