SPEED Plus

Business start-up project, SPEED Plus, has begun its October 2013 cohort. SPEED Plus help current students, graduates, alumni and staff to help set-up and run their own business whilst offering help, advice and support.

Applications for January 2014 are now open, however, places are limited!

Applications can be downloaded via http://www.speed-plus.org/ and should be sent in by Friday 22nd November 2013.

If you have any further questions, e-mail SPEED Plus at speed@wlv.ac.uk.

SPEED Events

SPEED Plus Ent Fest – FREE ENTRY

Meet guest speaker Nick Holzherr, former Apprentice 2012 Finalist.  There will be an opportunity to ask questions and network.

* Refreshments and lunch provided

Date:  Tuesday 12^th November 2013

Time: 10.30am – 14.00pm

Venue: WV1 Restaurant, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton, WV1 4QR.

Places are limited and are on a first come basis.

To confirm your place, please respond no later than 6^th November 2013 by email toginger.nijjar@wlv.ac.uk

International Work Placement Opportunity

Following the continued success of International graduate placements, 2014 looks like it will provide even more opportunities for our graduates to spend a period of time living and working in a foreign country.

Visual Communication graduate James Mcardle is enjoying  his Leonardo placement in Seville - to learn more about his experience click here

The Leonardo Scheme is now providing opportunities for graduates to work in Italy as well as Holland and Spain in a wide variety of disciplines and for those who want to try their hand at teaching English to speakers of other languages: China is our latest destination.

So, whether you are looking for some international experience to make your CV stand out or would like the opportunity to teach English in China regardless of your degree subject area or classification,

What next?

This is a fantastic opportunity to experience a different lifestyle in a foreign country.

Please contact David Edwards by:

Sending a copy of your CV to TheWorkplace@wlv.ac.uk Or calling on 01902 321031.

Just have to share - Rijksmuseum high-resolution downloads free

The Dutch national museum Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has digitized 125,000 works from its collection and they are available as high-resolution downloads free for personal use. Another 40,000 images will be added  to this electronic archive every year until the entire collection of one million pieces is online. You can create a free Rijks Studio account and categorize your favorite images in folders. 

Graphic Designer - My friend qp London

My friend qp is expanding!

I am looking for a full time young graphic/digital designer to work on a range of projects with a slight focus on Digital media marketing. Good knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator is essential but i am happy to teach you more. Knowledge of HTML/CSS coding would be a bonus. This is a great opportunity to learn more skills, develop your design aesthetic for very different clients and be involved in the creative process from start to finish.

Salary from £18k to £20k depending on experience.

Please send an email to fabrice@myfriendqp.com with a CV and either a link to an online portfolio or a .pdf portfolio.

CADRE Lecture Series - "Avant-Garde and Fantasy" by Dr. Marc Legér

CADRE Lecture Series

Free Public Lecture by Dr. Marc Legér
(Visual and Cultural Studies, University of Rochester)

Tuesday 5 November 2013, 6.00pm, MK045
Art Critique and Social Practice cluster
"Avant-Garde and Fantasy"

Marc James Léger is a graduate of the doctoral program in Visual and Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester. He has taught art history and visual culture at Lakehead University, the University of Lethbridge and the Université de Montréal. He has published critical essays on contemporary art and politics in such places as Afterimage, Art Journal, C Magazine, Canadian Journal of Film Studies, Creative Industries Journal, Etc, FUSE, Inter, Journal of Canadian Studies, Left Curve, Parachute, Public, RACAR, and Third Text. Since working as an independent scholar, he has edited Bruce Barber's two-volume anthology Performance, [Performance] and Performers (2007) and Barber's more recent book of essays and interviews Littoral Art and Communicative Action (2013). His is editor of Culture and Contestation in the New Century (2011) and the forthcoming The Idea of the Avant Garde - And What It Means Today and author of Brave New Avant Garde (2012) and The Neoliberal Undead (2013), the latter two published by Zero Books. He is presently at work on a book of essays on film titled Drive In Cinema: Essays on Film, Theory and Politics.

Presentation Description: In recent years, theorists of engaged art have proposed either an art critical set of concerns - relational aesthetics, dialogical aesthetics, participatory art - or, alternately, a pragmatic programme for politicized cultural practice - tactical media, transversal practice, communicative action and extradisciplinary practice.

This lecture will present some of the background research for my concept of sinthomeopathic practice and will also examine the outcome of this research in terms of a conjunctural complex that is conditioned by drive and fantasy formation.

If you would like to reserve a place for this lecture please email K.Cooper@wlv.ac.uk

Graduate Success - Ben Young

Graduate Ben Young has been in touch to share his employment success. Ben, winner of the 'The Cumberland Prize for Visualising' is now working as a Web design for Channel Islands based FeelUnique.com.

"I started in August" says Ben, "I'm designing banners, newsletters, Facebook posts and the visuals for web pages. I will be using my illustration skills for projects including gift vouchers and Im enjoying learning a lot about brand & identity."

Congratulations Ben

Creative Artworker/Junior Designer - London

pfc are a busy print and design studio looking to expand their young and dynamic design team.

What We Do:

We are a full service agency, providing print and design solutions to a range of high-profile clients across a variety of sectors, from sports to retail to restaurants and more.

About Us:

We are a small and young team looking to expand. We have a great client base that keeps work varied and the atmosphere fun. We are growing rapidly and looking for someone to be a part of the adventure.

Location:

Ideally based in Central London, we are in between sophisticated Islington and trendy Shoreditch. Our London office is very easily accessible, near to many different tube and bus stations.

You:

First and foremost, our ideal candidate will have bags of passion and enthusiasm. You will need a good level of the Adobe Suite (predominantly Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign) and at least two years of professional experience in a similar environment. Digital/web design a bonus.

Rewards:

Room to grow and great career prospects
Exposure to our high-profile client base
Varied and multi-disciplinary environment, enriching your portfolio
25 days holiday


http://pfcomms.co.uk/
How to apply:

stephanie@pfcomms.co.uk

James Mcardle - graduate success

James Mcardle in Seville with other Leonardo participants

Graphics graduate James Mcardle has been in touch to share his success on the  Leonardo Da Vinci scheme, set up to establish a European Programme for vocational education and training. "I'm currently in Seville, Spain as taking part in the Leonardo Da Vinci scheme through the University. It's a great opportunity and can't how lucky I have been to be selected." says James
"The scheme has sent Wolverhampton graduates to Seville with a range of degrees, and we have been placed in jobs that are close to our degree to gain industry experience. I have a place in Ximdex and I am learning web design using html. I can say I am really enjoying learning all of these skills and have no doubt they will aid me in future employment."

Congratulations James

Junior Graphic Designer - London

A leading retail branding agency is seeking a junior graphic designer to join their team.The right candidate will have some industry experience post university working within an environmental branding agency. This is a brilliant opportunity to join an agency of talented individuals who will nurture you and help you develop as a designer to top industry standard. Essential skills include extensive knowledge of Adobe software and you must have the ability to work under pressure within a team environment. They are looking for the right designer to start asap so please apply quickly to avoid disappointment. Please apply with CV and work samples with a covering letter detailing availability and salary expectations.

http://www.bespokecareers.com/index.cfm/jobs/jobdetails/jobRef/17441/source/djb

How to apply:

graphics@bespokecareers.com

Words at Play: MMU Collaboration

Wolverhampton Visual Communications students joined Creative Writing students from MMU Cheshire’s Contemporary Arts in a collaboration of writing, film, multimedia, graphic design and illustration. The exhibition opened on Tuesday 8th October at the MMU Campus and included impromptu performances of poetry, prose and dance.

Jess and Lyndsey Pritchard with Tutor Dave Colton 

Words at Play is a celebration of diverse and innovative approaches to creative writing, to writing which spills off the page and into the realms of art, theory and performance.

‘Students have investigated the shifting technological, cultural and spiritual climate of the 21^st Century, an era which is pushing creative writing into a new exciting realm, one in which the realist novel may be deemed to be in crisis’ said Dr Julie Armstrong who put the event together.

Aneta with Alex Golubovs and tutor Marc Austin

Visual Communications students contributed a range of varied and exciting responses to the written work, which were very well received by staff, students and the public who attended the opening. The event ended with a poetry slam that featured performances from MMU students and established poets, Mike Garry and Vanessa Kisuule. The exhibition runs for three weeks.

Craig Hancock and his father Mark, with Tracey Austin 

Type Makes A Difference - by Jessica Glaser

Type Makes A Difference: An Exploration Of Type-Focused Websites is the latest article by Jessica Glaser for online web design magazine Smashing. 

Her piece takes you on a thought-provoking journey through carefully selected Web designs. Certainly, these websites have some captivating interactivity; however, the selection of type and the typographic styling and spacing are the reasons why sites have been chosen for this piece. In the context of typography, considering composition and grid structure is also of paramount important. 

"Really nice article and great example of websites cleverly explained. Thank you!" 

"Great article! For so many years typography has been looked on with disdain by developers and us designers have resorted to banging our heads against a brick wall! It’s only over the last few years that type has really started to come into it’s own online. Surely this has been the missing piece of the puzzle for online design."
To see the full article click here

Just have to share - Banksy has unannounced Art Sale

For his 13th day in New York, Banksy pulled an amazing prank on unsuspecting passersby in Central Park by setting up an unannounced art stall with dozens of 100% original signed canvases. In a world where copies of unlicensed Banksy works are available cheaply, it’s not inconceivable for somebody to peddle cheap knockoffs for $60 each. To further camouflage the artwork the booth was labeled simply “SPRAY ART” and manned by an unsuspecting old man who seemed completely uninterested in what he was doing.

So after having the art stall for a day in Central Park, with an inventory that could have value into the hundreds of thousands of dollars over a period of 7 hours just three people bought a total of 8 canvases (one of whom managed to haggled the price down 50%) Total take for the day: $480.

Intern - Red Design Brighton

Internships
Red Design is a brand design and innovation company.
We've been finding new and innovative ways of sharing people's passions since 1996.

We are looking for a talented intern to join our creative team for a 1 month to 3 month internship.

We base our culture on Quality + Creativity + People + Belief + Passion + Purpose. And we are looking for people who share those values.

We are looking for someone who…
Has a good attitude, is confident and ready to accept challenges. Having core skills in graphic design and conceptual development is important, but we are also very interested in people with additional specialisms such as video, animation and illustration.

We can offer you a chance to…
Work on live briefs
Learn new skills
Create something you will be proud of
Have a great experience
Make you more employable
More independent

To apply please email info@red-design.co.uk with a CV and a PDF with a selection of your work.

We are flexible with the start date, and can offer you paid expenses.

Isn't that....

Jeff Leak recently had a poster accepted and exhibited as part of the United Designs International Biennial Design Exhibition in St Louis, Missouri, USA. The work of over 100 posters by graphic designers from 40 countries were selected to represent the best entrants from designs focusing on environmental awareness.

Jeff's poster was also chosen by St. Louis radio station SLPR as one of a small selection to represent the exhibition

A discussion about the exhibition is currently available as a link on the site. It features in conversation: Albert Inyoung Choi, professor of graphic and product design at Hanyang University in South Korea, Jennifer McKnight, associate professor of design at the University of Missouri - St. Louis and John Coy, designer and design teacher and the founder of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Los Angeles chapter.

Choi says that the work shown represents the second level of designing. The first level being commercial; the second being more about the art and the message.

"What we're doing is an environmental issue, no clients involved, using their talents to express their concerns,"

You can link to the article and listen to the broadcast here:
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/umsl-presents-international-poster-art-exhibition

Marion Bataille - Numero

Five years ago graphic designer and illustration Marion Bataille created the popular pop-up book ABC 3D book. This month she returns with a new book titled Numero, a brief but equally wonderful wonderful volume on numbers. The new pop-up book is available October 15th but you can pre-order it online now. (via Cool Hunting)

WALKING TOUR: Baskerville’s Birmingham

WALKING TOUR: Baskerville’s Birmingham

Baskerville Society

11 October 2013 | 1200 hours

Baskerville House, Centenary Square, Birmingham

Members £5: Non Members £10

Birmingham tour guide Ben Waddington leads this ninety-minute walk around the city, visiting locations and artifacts associated with Baskerville’s life and work, including a visit to the catacombs in the Jewellery Quarter where his remains are buried.

For bookings: www.typographichub.org/diary/entry/baskerville-society-event-baskervilles-birmingham-guided-tour

MA Show 2013

Congratulations to all Visual Communication students participating in this years MA show.

The MA Public View runs from Sunday 13 October to Sunday 20 October at The Public, West Bromwich. Entry is free and open to everyone.

It showcases the work of over sixty graduating Master’s students together with the work of some of our PhD students and Artists in Residence. Work on display ranges from Visual Communication and glass to photography and sculpture.

Freebiesbug

If you're a graphic designer, particularly a web designer, you'll like Freebiesbug. It's a site with a constantly-updated gallery of free resources to download. You can find fonts, backgrounds and textures, photoshop mockups that show off your branding projects, and all sorts of buttons, icons, and navigation menus to use on websites.

To visit click here

Eastside Student Internships

We are looking for three motivated students to help us develop and deliver the gallery’s exciting programme of events and exhibitions. Intended as a more intensive experience than volunteering at the gallery, a placement gives you a chance to experience how an ambitious artist-run gallery operates and how exhibitions and events are produced and then distributed to a regional, national and international audience. You would be involved in the planning, and organisational aspect of the gallery, as well as getting the chance to shadow the gallery assistants and see how their roles work. 

These placements are for students only. You must be enrolled on a undergraduate or post-graduate course.

Placements would most likely suit second year undergrads who can commit to spending at least a day a week with us from 4 November to 22 February.

For more information and how to apply see our website www.eastsideprojects.org/jobs-and-opportunities/eastside-projects-student-placement/

Design Intern - Agency Republic

Agency Republic is looking for a Design Intern

If you know what responsive design is and can also knock up a mean poster/motion graphic/illustration then you’re our kind of intern.

We work on everything from big websites to Flash banners and our designers are also talented illustrators, motion graphic artists, makers and bakers who get to bring their skills to bear on the work we produce.

For more details and to apply please visit our website http://www.agencyrepublic.com/jobs/

Many thanks

Agency Republic

Call for entries - Serco Prize for Illustration 2014

mage by Anne Wilson, winner Serco Prize for Illustration 2011

London Transport Museum, in partnership with the Association of Illustrators (AOI), is delighted to announce that submissions are now welcome for the Serco Prize for Illustration 2014. This year the theme is London Stories.

Across the ages, London has produced and inspired countless stories. Fictitious or real characters and events in this amazing city have always held fascination, from the anecdotal urban myth to grand tales of historic legend. The aim of the competition is to attract artwork for display that is colourful, inspiring and celebrates a vibrant, multi layered London.

Visually capture a well-known or lesser known narrative in a single image; all stories, current or historical, real or fictional, which feature this amazing city are welcome - your imagination is the limit. Stories could be those seen in a film or play, heard in poetry or music, read in literature or an urban myth. Impress the jury with your illustrated interpretation of a London story and be in with a chance of having your work displayed at the famous London Transport Museum and winning the top prize.

All artworks should be in portrait format. London Transport Museum prefers that artworks conform to actual or pro rata standard poster sized: Double Royal – 635 x 1016mm (25 x 40 inches) or Double Crown – 505 x 760mm (20 x 30 inches). However, for this exhibition these sizes are not prescriptive.
There is no entry fee.

Eligibility

The competition is open to illustrators and students of illustration throughout 
the world.

Prize

• First prize: £2000 (approx. 3,200 USD) and display of image on a LTM poster 
• Second prize: £1000 (approx. 1,600 USD)
• Third prize: £750 (approx. 1,200 USD)

There is also the possibility that your shortlisted image will be featured on merchandise sold in the museum shop.

Moreover, the top 50 entries selected by a panel of judges will be displayed in an exhibition at London Transport Museum that will open Friday 14 February and run until Sunday 6 April. The winners will be announced at a private award ceremony on the evening of Thursday 13 February.

To visit the competition site click here