Creative Report - Studio Brief 2 - Who to approach?

Looking further at who I will base my creative report on, it became clear as to who would be best to interview as I looked in depth at specific designers and studios which have influenced and inspired me. Referencing authors of books as I read them and watching more and more creative talks, I kept listing these designers for future reference, as well keeping an active Instagram account to view designers work.

I decided to list out designers who I wanted to contact or have influenced me, being told to aim big in who I ask to interview, though a reply was not guaranteed it was worth trying some big names in Design.

WHO?

- Patrick Thomas - Designer based in Berlin, originally from Liverpool, Thomas now has studios in both Berlin and Barcelona though visits England regularly. Thomas works mainly with screen print, creating a multitude of different styled, experimental yet visually powerful screen prints. Thomas plays around with colour and shape within his work to produce strong visuals which go with type and sometimes imagery.





- Mark Wheatley -  Marko - Mark Wheatley is a print maker and zine publisher based in the UK. Marko produces bold and bright prints and zines as well as making sculptures based on his work too, he travels the UK print fair scene, showing and selling his work, he has some upcoming visits to local places such as York, Manchester and Wakefield for print fairs, this would be an excellent opportunity to go speak to him in person.



- Darren Cullen - Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives - Darren Cullen is an artist and activist from Leeds who is now based in London, Cullen initially thought he to go into advertising as a career, studying it at Leeds College of Art where he learned the language and techniques of the medium but became steadily horrified at the ethical implications involved. Claiming that “manipulating the desires and aspirations of the public, and especially children, using an arsenal of sophisticated and emotionally damaging psychological techniques is an appalling way to make a living and an even worse way to sustain an economy.” 






Jim Stoddart - Penguin Art Director - Current art director of Penguin books, Stoddart works with the art direction of the book design as well as designing covers himself, his works vary in style from collage, illustration, old and new. Stoddart's book design keeps Penguin books fresh whilst also paying homage to what came before.

















Molly Tibbetts - Creative Director - Collage Artist 
Molly Tibbetts is a Boston-based art director and collage artist whose work focuses on portraits and manipulating art to create new art. Trying to use collage in my own work, Tibbetts would be a really influential person to approach for an interview, I can ask techniques, methods and other information which would help me.









The print project - Studio Based in Shipley - West Yorkshire
The print project is a small print studio who work predominantly with local events and businesses, producing highly creative prints, full of colour and shape, they have worked with some great causes and produce experimental pieces which are visually bold and excited as well as being considered and thought out. With them being based in the next city on this would make visiting them realistic.





Craig Atkinson - Editor of Cafe Royale Books - Seeing Cafe Royale Books at a number of places around Leeds such as Village Bookstore, Colours May Vary and The Tetley, I found the covers and content hugely influential, the simplicity and retro style of the design make the books stand out. Atkinson has been working with a number of photographers to produce these usually black and white regular publications. As well as working on solo personal projects Atkinson's work has an aesthetic and feel to them which I would love to have in my own work. Cafe Royale Books takes photos from the every day, especially looking at culture in the north of England, my work has begun to do this through different ways. A conversation with Atkinson would be very influential and insightful.








Craig Oldham - Designer - Oldham's work on 'In Loving Memory Of Work' is immensely inspiring, having bought the book because of its topic, it looks at the struggle of the miners during the strike years on 1984-85, it looks at the design which came from the working class towns where the miners were striking, documenting the timeline of the year of strike. It also features a number of designers such as Ian Anderson, Ken Loach, Rick Poynor, Jonathon Barnbrook and many others who discuss the work and the time which it occurred. Oldham would be an excellent interview to have for my own personal progression.





DR.ME - Creative design studio based in  Manchester and the french riviera - DR.ME is a collage and illustration based graphic design studio, they are published and work a lot with musicians producing album art work, this is a part of design I am interested in working with books, music, collage and drawing. DR.ME work with a number of businesses and brands producing exciting, experimental and creative work.