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Published May 26, 2010 by Rebecca Matheson

What I am learning – working in design/prepress

It has been an interesting four months or so. A steep learning curve in many regards. I am currently working in a design/prepress place where (unfortunately) the design is fairly template driven so the steepness hasn’t been so much on the physical design aspect where I would genuinely like it to be – but very much in the work environment. As some of you already know, it’s not exactly job I’d hoped I’d get straight out of finishing my design degree but…

Let me share some things I’ve learnt:

  • Never, ever underestimate the value of good colleagues. It makes everything so much more bearable
  • Asserting yourself (when appropriate) is okay, good and healthy
  • Always recognise and honor the immense value of a company who places high priority on taking care of their staff (Ergo you were and are amongst the cream of the crop – now morph into a design studio please and take me on!)
  • How to operate a digital press (2 kinds actually), laminator, programmable guillotine, shrink wrapper, drill punch
  • Much improved knife skills (Scalpels and metal rulers friends! Nice not nasty!)
  • Better understanding of paper and paper grammage/stock etc.
  • The secret joy in watching the plastic shrivel when you shrink-wrap something
  • Keep tabs on your pay
  • The importance of correctly designed fonts
  • A full day goes very quickly
  • Task Lists are ALWAYS fun to tick off
  • Some jobs (as in tasks) just suck, and always suck, but they have to be done so you just get on with it
  • I am more detail focused than I even realised – I think this may have developed further over the last year, so much so that I have been told several times to ‘Stop being so anal and just get on with it’.
  • The later you eat lunch, the quicker the rest of the afternoon goes, sometimes it is only by necessity
  • Phones are not the scourge, they are actually quite useful
  • Questions = faster learning, smarter doing

Work

graduate graphic design prepress Work

Published December 19, 2008 by Rebecca Matheson

Workplace eye-candy

There’s a small part of me that thinks I should have studied Interior Design. Yes I would suck, but I’m obsessed. A good percentage of the blogs I read are interior based – I think I just like pretty, pleasing things.

And OH MY GOSH. This site is splendid. It showcases the interiors of creative workplaces – (Yes that means Design studios and the like).

This Ain’t No Disco.

But hey, I can’t say I’ve got it too bad. My part time job at Ergo Consulting is in a pretty lovely place. (I’m responsible for those ‘posters’ on the staircase wall)

ergooffice3ergooffice1ergooffice2

And we’re not even in a ‘traditionally creative’ field.

Create Culture Design Work

eye-candy interior design Work

Published November 10, 2008 by Rebecca Matheson

Sucessful pitching, happy branding day!

I mentioned a while back that I was doing an assignment on branding and my focus was on branding my old school.

After spouting out many ideas, going through the process of refining and pitching, and pitching against other designs (which I haven’t seen btw) MECS have chose my design to rebrand with!!!

This is quite a big deal.

I’m not showing the logo yet as there is some finnessing to do at their discretion, but pleased to say I just landed my first big gig that is fairly high profile for the area and I’m rather estatic about it!!!!

Branding Design Life Uni Work

branding Design designer job resume happiness school Work

Published September 15, 2008 by Rebecca Matheson

Why my creativity (writing) has been sapped

On current standings, I have an assignment worth 30% due tomorrow. It has reduced my weekend to a slobbering, pathetic mess and has cause much pain in the sensible*. After 3.5 days of over induced stress, I am now officially over it, if I glean a pass I will be more than happy.

Work currently consists of my regular part time job at a Business Consultancy and all this unexpected freelance work that has suddenly surmounted** . So, I am designing a CV for someone, continuing with the rebranding of a school (co-assignment based) and I’m on hold for doing a website-showreel for a guy in film. I want to do these things well, they mean more to me than assignments – however much I try to trick myself in favor of my homework.

Other uni stuff is inclusive of a group assignment – which isn’t so bad, and the rotoscoping task, which is just fun.

But all up, I am rather worn out. This is why you are not getting deep-thought here. It keeps leaking through the cracks of my mind’s current constant analysis of advertising and semiotics.

*gosh this is way too amusing
**possibly not exactly the right use of the word.

Branding Design Life Uni Work

freelancing homework tired Work

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