Portfolio Visits

I have lined up two portfolio visits with Reform and Like A River for the upcoming week or two.

Stay posted for feedback on they visit.

Dew Gibbons

Whilst in London a few of us went and visited Dave from Dew Gibbons.

Dew Gibbons is a brand design company.

Whilst there Dave took us on a tour of the whole office area (consisted of three floors,) he went through a slide-show of the work the company create, he shown us what awards the company has won as well.

Dave also went on to talk about what it's like moving away from where you've grown up and moving into a whole new area of living not knowing anybody. He mentioned the average salary for a young designer to be on in London and how it works up with time.

Whilst visiting Dave I was really impressed. Soon as he answered the door we felt welcomed, he greeted us shook our hand etc, really warming. I was really impressed with the quality of work the company has created the amount of awards they've also won as well is something special.

Even when we met all the other staff who worked there, they was all warming and welcoming saying hello, shaking our hands as well, none of them was stuck up which was something I like seeing. At the end Dave gave us his card saying how he would look at our portfolio's and give us some feedback if we liked to do so.

Overall it was a great experience, and I'm glad I went and visited Dave when I had the chance.

MOSI - London

Whilst in London I went and visited the M.O.S.I in London. I did this because I wanted to compare this one to the one in Manchester due to research purposes for my final major project I'm currently doing in University. Whilst visiting the M.O.S.I straight away my first impression was how much of a better museum this is compared to the one in Manchester. This was due to straight away the security there was much more secure, the quality of the whole exhibitions themselves was an improvement on Manchester.

Each exhibition space was well lit, they was all very spacious and the quality of the objects there was much more impressive than Manchester. When in the Manchester museum, there was a barrier around all the objects being exhibited which to me was a let down, but yet you can understand because there's always that chance that the object can get damaged or stolen.

Over all I enjoyed visiting the MOSI in London much more than the Manchester one. Yes they both was free, yes they both had trains in them, yes they both had rockets or space objects in them, but the London one was just more enjoyable.

The interacting events which was thrown were enjoyable and funny, you wasn't surrounded by kids or anything like that so you wasn't frustrated with how compact how the space was. The London venue just had that extra something with everything which means a lot in end.

London

At the start of March I went down to London for a few days, visiting the place, researching and then with the possibility of having a portfolio visit whilst down there.

When down there I went and visited such places as the V&A Museum, MOSI London and Dew Gibbons design company and Westminster - being there you know how it feels to be a tourist in London.

Visiting such places as them make you realize how different London is to Manchester. For example the museums down there are more exciting, the quality of them is something what Manchester can't compete with. Even the little details like the lighting of the places, or how compact the places are is something that don't compare. I mean for example when I visited the MOSI in London they offered so much more than the Manchester museum. Here they had over four floors, each exhibition floor was very spacious, not packed, which allowed you to view each piece of art (or whatever it was) much better.

Whilst down there you think to yourself how dear must it be to live down in London (well I did anyway.) This was due to the costs of things down there. I stayed in Kings Cross so the amount of shops down there was not a struggle. I mean the price of a soft drink down there is ridiculous, your hitting £1.40 in some places just for a simple 500ml bottle. When you was getting food, jesus, how expensive! It was like £6 for a simple subway! You every wonder why people get payed more down there? Simple answer, IT COSTS MORE TO LIVE THERE!

Something I wasn't used to down there was using the underground, but using it was so easy! Why people get scared of using it I will never know. It's easy as 1 2 3. Living in Manchester we only have the Metrolink, something I don't use really, but one thing I would love to see is an underground up here. Liverpool have one so why not Manchester? I know our Metro is getting expanded but it's still not as good as an underground now is it.

Overall whilst down there I thoroughly enjoyed my time down there, it's something I'm already looking into doing again in the future, but someone who didn't enjoy being down there was my bank balance! Bad times.

V&A London - Decode

Whilst on a University trip in London, I went and visited the V&A in London (Victoria and Albert.) Whilst there I went and viewed the exhibition Decode.

Decode is an exhibition that has been collaborated between the V&A and OneDotZero, a contemporary arts organisation.

The exhibition is explores three themes;

Code presents pieces that use computer code to create new works and looks at how code can be programmed to create constantly fluid and ever-changing works.

Interactivity looks at works that are directly influenced by the viewer.

Network focuses on works that comment on and utilise the digital traces left behind by everyday communications and looks at how advanced technologies and the internet have enabled new types of social interaction and mediums of self-expression.

When I visited Decode, I was partially interested with what I saw, but on the other hand I felt down a bit. This was due to how people was saying how good of an exhibition it is, and how I should go and see it, but when I was there all the build up was for that. Yes it was interesting with how art can be created for technology and I'm glad I visited it, but on the other hand I didn't find it inspiring in one bit, I couldn't generate any ideas from it to do with my work.

Chiquita Bananas

Chiquita bananas have recently had a re-brand done for them. The brief was to make bananas more cool.

When I first starting looking at the new designs for Chiquita, I wondered what they first was. When I looked into it further I realized each sticker was a good/bad cartoon character. The bad characters are supposedly meant to represent the idea of not letting your idea go bad, and the good characters are suppose to meant be a good banana.

When I read this it actually didn't make sense to me, too me they were just stickers which would attract young children to eating more fruit. Also they bring a bit of fun and laughter to the older age group who buy fruit.

Overall I'm sure people will like the stickers on the bananas due to the humor in them.

Fairy Liquid Anniversary

As we all know recently Fairy Liquid have celebrated there 50th Anniversary.

With this they decided to bring back out the old design for the Fairy Liquid bottle.

When you see the anniversary bottle, it makes you think to yourself, is the old bottle better than the actual new one?

The original bottle had the simple, distinctive look. The simplicity of the design on the bottle meant that it was very simplistic and very easy to notice. Although some people might prefer the up to date design, what the children will like most, is the fact that they can go back to making rockets out of there empty Fairy Liquid bottle.

In my opinion, I prefer the original bottle design for Fairy Liquid, washing up liquid isn't to do with how good the bottle looks, but with the original design for Fairy Liquid everybody knows what to expect, just the simple white bottle with the baby on and the word 'Fairy.' This is something the customers buying it couldn't miss, also the fact they brought the bottle back out brings back memories for people from back in the day.