Question: “I’m thinking of doing a postgraduate course in design having already completed a degree in Biomechanics but realising it just wasn’t where I wanted to be. I can’t help but feel I wasted all those years and that money. Is it worth the career change? Am I too late coming into the industry?” – Dean, 26 Answer: Recently, I […]
Open Access: Artist, Designer and Assistant KT Doyle Talks Meaningful Work and Multiple Jobs
Name: KT Doyle Job title: Artist / Designer / Studio Assistant Current employer: KT Doyle / JEANBAG (founder) / TheSumOf Location: Brisbane, Australia “I am totally motivated by doing meaningful work,” professes artist, designer and assistant KT Doyle. “I care about people, and that’s why I care about the planet.” In the era of the ‘slashie’, where a growing number […]
Dizzee Askall: The Folio Fallout
Question: “I graduated a few years ago, but have been working retail because I haven’t been able to get a design job. How can I land a studio role when I don’t have any new work to show?” – Alex, 25 Answer: So, you’re two years out with a half-baked folio and no job experience. What’s a homegirl to do? […]
How To Handle a Rush Job
Ah, nothing pushes the Panic Button like the fabled rush job. Because nothing challenges our belief in the value of a considered design process like turning a week’s worth of work around in 24 hours. So with such a short timeframe to get so much done, how do we best prepare ourselves to take on the task at hand? – […]
Dizzee Askall: The Parent Trap
Question: My parents don’t understand what I do as a designer and they worry about my future and finances. Is it worth trying to explain it to them? – Amy, 23 Answer: It’s a shame you didn’t study medicine, Amy – we wouldn’t be having this problem. Having a doctor in the family is so easy to explain: “Have you met our Amy? […]
VIDEO: Sex, Drugs & Helvetica 2014 – Tim Buesing
At the 2014 Sex, Drugs & Helvetica conference, Reactive’s Tim Buesing gave an incredibly inspiring insight into The Most Powerful Arm project – a campaign created to raise awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. DMD is a muscle-degenerating condition that affects 1 in 3500 Australian children, 99 per cent of whom are boys. Alongside the mechanics of the work, Tim talked […]
Dizzee Askall: The Clique of It
Question: Sometimes I feel that only those in the in-crowd are chosen for “best of lists” or “ones to watch.” I don’t want to take away anything from those being featured and I get that it’s a lot to do with who you know, but is it becoming a clique? I’m finding it hard to break into the industry and […]
Christopher Doyle on Why You Should Find a Mentor
I am often asked by students and young designers about the benefits of taking on a studio role versus going freelance or starting up on your own. My answer has almost always been the same: provided it’s the right fit, take the job. Though I have been wondering lately if this is right. These days I know of many successful […]
Dizzee Askall: The Relationship Review
Question: “I’m in a long-term relationship and we’ve always had a really good work/life balance, but I’ve recently started picking up more freelance work and that, on top of my day-to-day job, sees me working seven days a week. The extra work is a really positive step for my career, but I’m worried it will affect my relationship and I […]
Project of the Week: Hulsbosch Have Some Fun with the ABC Kids Rebrand
As we learned from Build at last year’s Sex, Drugs & Helvetica conference, branding a TV channel can be quite the challenge. Last week, ABC re-launched the look of its ABC Kids multi-platform brand. Leading Australian brand agency Hulsbosch took on the task of creating a consolidated look and feel across ABC Kids’ broadcast, retail and online components. In recent times, […]
Open Access: UX Designer Aoife Johnston Talks Outcomes and In-house Design Roles
Design something and set it free upon the world? Absolutely. Design something, set it free upon the world and think your work ends there? No way. With the hustle and bustle of working life, it can become easy to neglect or even forget about the follow-through of your work. But, without it, how can designers ever know if what they […]
Dizzee Askall: The Cautious Critique
Question: Help! My friend and I are both designers but some of his work isn’t very strong and I can see places he could improve. How do I give him honest feedback without hurting his feelings? – Alex, 19 Answer: Criticism is a difficult task for a bleeding heart. Nobody wants to hurt their friends’ feelings, but it’s precisely this […]
Project of the Week: Accept & Proceed Data Patterns for Rapha’s Pro Team Collection
The trend for data visualisation projects has never been greater than the last few years. Largely driven by our digital age and the amount of available data, I’m still quite underwhelmed by how little makes it into commercial projects. So, knowing their history for working with data-based projects, I was very excited to learn Accept & Proceed were collaborating with […]
How to Critique
Critiquin’ ain’t easy. And when you’re working as a designer, it’s part of your day-to-day. It’s how you ensure the project outcome is the best it can be. But it can be tough teetering on the line between constructive criticism and absolute self-esteem annihilation, and with so many ways to give feedback, how do you know where to begin? Well, […]
Dizzee Askall: The Creative Rut
Question: After twenty years of designing everything from business cards to big brands, everything feels the same. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything creative in a long time and I’m in a bit of rut. How do I get out of it? – Michael, 42 Answer: Let’s not dilly-dally around here – designers are expected to be creative people. […]
Project of the Week: Johnson Banks Brand ‘7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund’
It’s always good to keep an eye on new work. Each week, we will take a look at one recent design project that really stands out. — In design we often talk about keeping things simple. A great example of this is johnson banks’ new brand system for 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund, launched in early February. The visual concept […]
VIDEO: Sex, Drugs & Helvetica 2014 – Kevin Finn
At the 2014 Sex, Drugs & Helvetica conference, TheSumOf’s Kevin Finn gave a wonderfully inspiring talk about getting his DESIGNerd project off the ground. Touching on important matters from finding that work life balance to the shape of design education, it was an absolute highlight of the 2014 conference. Whether you missed it or want to re-live it, we’ve got […]
Introducing Dizzee Askall
Ladies and gentlemen, we are very excited to introduce to you the newest (yet possibly oldest) member of the Sex, Drugs & Helvetica team: Dizzee Askall. Dizzee will be delivering a weekly lowdown on your design-related dilemmas. If you’re in need of advice or answers, send your questions to askdizzee@sexdrugshelvetica.com — Question: “I want to work overseas. Do you have […]
Going Steady: How to Keep Your Client Relationship Alive
In a recent post, I looked at how long-term thinking can help your business relationships. The big picture concepts (openness, compassion, dedication etc.) that underpin success. Now I’ll talk about how you can use them in day-to-day practice. — Be genuine, but picky As a client, I’ve received misdirected pitches. I once received a quote emphasising the designer’s strength in […]
Why Fear Limits Our Creativity
We are creatures of habit. We operate within our comfort zone and feel safe, secure and risk free. We are an industry that relies so heavily on unique, creative processes, yet is so obsessed with perfection and results. We are supportive, but we are also critical. This weighs on the shoulders of all designers, leaving a small window for the […]