Episodes
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Graphic designers tend to be a passionate bunch. After all, creativity is an affair of the heart, and pursuing one’s passion is a joyous enterprise. But in the world of commercial graphic design, it’s a lucky designer who gets free rein to create whatever they want. When someone else is calling the shots, can joy be derived purely from meeting the brief? Does compromise dull the joy of creativity, or does it add to the satisfaction of a job well delivered? We discuss the different flavours of fun to be had as a professional designer.
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The term ‘less is more’ is often attributed to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the minimalist architect. It’s been adopted as a guiding principle in many areas of design including fashion, interiors and, of course, graphics. But like all design rules, it’s there to be applied with discernment, and broken with discretion. This week, we discuss when less is more, when less is less, when more is less and when more is more.
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Episodes manquant?
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ChatGPT was released in 2022 and a mere 2 years later, we’re here with our piping tepid take on the issue everyone’s trying to remember about. But there’s wisdom in this approach! See how our patience has paid off! We get to reflect on living and working along side AI for a couple of years. With AI widely established in design and other areas of content creations, we reflect on where we are now and where we might be going.
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In this episode we investigate how all of the choices we make about the way we present ourselves to the world stack up to create a personal brand. From clothing and accessories to haircuts and tattoos, our decisions forge cultural associations and express a lot about our tastes and attitudes. We discuss the parallels between curating a personal style and managing a brand, propelling us towards the inescapable question: are they one and the same thing?
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When brands like crisp manufacturers create different varieties, they face a salty conundrum. Should they follow established conventions and risk imitating the competition? Or should they strike out and disrupt, flying in the face of popular associations? In this episode, Richard and Oscar join Danny to pop the semi-opaque lid of colour semiotics, peel back the foil of cultural bias, and reach into the tube of disruptive branding. Delicious.
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In this episode, we navigate the mysterious mindsets and motivations of graphic designers. When we encounter graphic designers in their natural habitat, we observe them instinctively weaving imagery from inspiration they have gathered from their surroundings. But what compels them to this life? Is it nature or nurture? Join us as we explore the skills, temperament, and instincts that drive these creative creatures. A blend of curiosity, precision, and a hint of obsession — let's uncover what truly makes a graphic designer.
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Do graphic design rules stand the test of time, or do they bend with the latest trend? Are fads really just trends on a sugar rush? Can a designer or agency get by applying their house style regardless of the brief? This week, the panel dives into the world of design dos and don'ts, when it comes to what's hot (and what's not). Tune in as they unravel the mysteries of staying relevant in the fast-paced world of graphic design.
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Do you ever feel like a fraud, undeserving of your job? You're not alone. In the subjective world of graphic design where everyone has an opinion, how do we summon the confidence to trust our abilities and experience? Our panel certainly isn’t immune to Imposter Syndrome. Are we even qualified to talk about it? Yes, damn it! This week, join Richard, Oscar, and Ellise as they share their own battles.
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This week’s episode is a hunk of kerning love as we plunge into a condensed discussion about the expanded world of typefaces. What makes them friendly or formal? Intelligible or illegible? Memorable or mundane? We read between the lines to explore the fascinating space where copy meets design. Join our Fonts of Knowledge, Oscar Jackson and Ellise Collins, as they stick their heads in the Sans.
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When it comes to graphic design, is it better to learn on the job, or in the lecture theatre? Across our new refreshed panel, featuring Ellise Collins, Oscar Jackson and Richard Kemp, we have representation from each side of the debate. So, which is best, the University of Life or the University of Essex? There’s only one way to find out - PODCAST!
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This week is part 2 of our round-up where we bang through a bumper collection of clangers. Last time we spoke about “super specific requests” and this week we’re onto the “frustratingly vague” ones:
“I need it to be elegance and classy”“keep everything from my example but also do it differently”“Jazz it up”“Just play around with it”“I like blue/red/green (there are endless types and shades or each colour)”“Just a quick task for you…” -
Season 1 of “Well, you’re the designer” is nearing the end. To round things off, we've swept up all the leftover morsels into an appetising two-part buffet of baffling briefs and frustrating feedback. We’ve split the resulting smörgåsbord into “super specific” and “frustratingly vague.” This week it’s the turn of the “super specific” requests, so we’re discussing:
“Please include this small pointless map”“Replace this picture with one of the opposite orientation”“Use this terrible font combination”“Bullet points only”“Use my grotty, badly-framed images over good quality stock photos”“Use the international phone number format”Listen to the end to see how Matt and Rich score each client clanger. -
To the untrained eye, empty space around text and graphics can feel like unused real estate, or a missed opportunity to make everything bigger. But empty space is not wasted space. It can be an effective means to highlight a strong message by allowing the eye to identify it quickly and dwell on its meaning. Our designers explain how giving each element room to breathe can create a greater impact than packing the page with content.
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What’s worse than a client who doesn’t know what they want? A client who knows exactly what they want because it’s already been done! This week, we’re investigating the line between influence and infringement.
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A client’s website is their castle. They use it to store everything they might think of as a brand asset. So when it comes to designing something new, all the building blocks are there, right? Well, most often they’re not. Content must be appropriate to the medium, whether that’s the size, orientation and format of images, or the brevity and intent of the copy. We look at why it can be unhelpful for everyone involved to “see website for details.”
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Design by committee. Every designer's nightmare. Collaboration is cool but excessive input can dilute strong ideas and imperil the process. So why are clients still enlisting the aid of partners, parents and pets in their decision making? Our designers discuss how to navigate the dinghy of design when everyone's sticking their oar in.
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What do we think of the design, guys? Everyone’s input is valuable. No wrong answers. “Make it pop!” you say… What does this oft-spouted piece of vagueness actually mean? Is it even possible to pop amid an all-out war for our attention, where we’re constantly popped at from all angles?
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Grab a photo. Fade it out so it’s no longer impactful, but leave just enough detail to interfere with the text. Centre-justify the text so it’s basically an assault course for your eyes. The classics are classic for a reason, except when they’re horrible. Turns out this is a commonly requested design. Who knew?
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Requesting multiple designs might sound like a great way to get some different options to ponder over. That’s until things get out of hand. The boys trade anecdotes about how analysis paralysis ruined a couple of brands before they even had a chance to trade.
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Massive logo - no brainer, right? Everyone wants to push their brand to the fore, and a prominent logo seems like a quick win. So why are graphic designers reluctant to comply? We have a look at the consequences, both aesthetic and commercial, of going large with the logo.
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