How not to write a CV. A lession in the fricking obvious.

It's come to my attention that being a fresh and new faced graduate means that eventually your going to have your dreams crushed into the dirt pretty quickly. This is because you have no work real experience, no proper design job and only a diploma to your name that says that in theory you might just be able to do the work your given in an agency and not be to terrified by everyone around you.

So you need a wonderful portfolio and a CV to help you get your way though to an interview.


Cv's are awfully annoying things. Well, not really the CV that you hand over. (Though that is variable. I've heard of people attaching poetry to theirs...) It's more just trying to super compress your life's work into one piece of paper, keep it interesting, keeping it fresh and trying not to bore a potential employer while your at it.

And the real dilemma is why should they employ the graduate with neary a job to their name? Well this could turn into the blog of how to give up with as little shame as possible. But I try not to give up. Unless it's really hard, then I just complain about it and then get back to work.

I think it's that visual punch to the face. (Okay not the best expressive turn but you will get what I mean). It's that "Wham" or "Wow" effect that makes that one CV stand out in front of aaaaall the others. It's tricky, there are the brilliant, and then there are the insane, and then there are some that are so mad I could almost give the person the job for having the balls to do it.

The direct approach rarely works for me. 

Thing is how do you be direct and not scary, how do you be subtle without being invisible. Writing the perfect CV to me is akin to a Zen riddle. There are some good examples out there. But it all depends on who your targeting. If it's something design related then there is the elbow room to do something totally new fresh and interesting.

I've been tempted to port my current CV to another more interesting format. Perhaps something a little funky and different, something you don't see on a day to day basis that gets noticed...how I have no idea yet. But as a designer it seems somewhat odd just to offer up a simple sheet of paper to get someone's attention. Okay, its cheaper, but when has that stopped a designer from doing what a designer does best?

Well I'll think of something...eventually.

Laters.

Cabespace AGAIN!?

Herp derp. Again! Yes again!

I think this will be that one project that I will never stop tinkering...why? Because that's what designers do, we tinker, we fiddle, we are up to the wee hours of the morning running of the bare morsel and caffen to power our almighty minds and gigantic egos.

So yes, this one was probably the strongest variant I have produced so far and hits the nail on the head for what I was aiming at. Classical elements of the stars and what not fitting in and making it feel far more true to the original idea of what I was going for. The more muted colours help define the type meaning it sits out more and isn't muddled in with everything else.

Okay, a little bit of a late post I know, and I really have to find my hard drive cable to get dem fancy Batman Live posters on here. I think you guys will love the final poster designs.


Laters all.

Fallout Nuka Break Poster ideas.

A while back the creative minds at Wayside creations announced that they would be creating a full web series based on their on off Fallout fan film Nuka Break. Given that I have recently become a big fan of fallout, and I love it when creative people put their hard work into creating something so well made it stands up to high end productions. And of course anyone who knows me knows my love for poster design, so I cobbled something together.

Here are some basic roughs, knowing me though I will probably be polishing these for a folio in the future.
Wayside are actually looking for funds (at least I think they still are) to help make the series a reality. I'm somewhat tempted to approach them with these rough ideas and ask if they would like to bring in a graphic designer to make some salable promotional materiel. Hey, you never know until you try.


Going to be watching the progress with their project with a keen eye. Nearly a year ago Wayside was a big part in revolutionizing Indy Mogul Back Yard FX. They pioneer short films and have done advertising in the past. If there are any budding film makers out there watching this blog I highly recommend them.

So that's various plugging and fan-boy gushing over with. More graphic/design stuff this/next week. Where I might reveal my new branding identity, a project I am tinkering on with fellow college graduate for Edinburgh council and my thoughts on DC's new visual overhaul/reboot. Hey it's graphics! That's totally legitimate to what I do....sort of....it's my blog anyway!

Keep cool all you awesome designery people out there.
Ben aawwwwwway! ~Whooosing noise~