Craig Oldham Lecture
Craig Oldham is a relatively young designer who has progressed very quickly in the design scene. He is probably most well known for his book ’12 IN 12’.
Aimed at students, this book informally advises the best-practice techniques of which he experienced in his first twelve months of building a reputation in the design industry. He emphasizes what he considers are the most important factors involved in this process in twelve steps.
1. Understand what Graphic Design means to you.
2. Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.
3. A portfolio is for life, not just for an interview.
4. Placements matter. Do them.
5. The Design industry is small, everyone knows everybugger else.
6. Participate with other people and share your ideas.
7. Graphic Design is just a job, but being a designer is different.
8. Fall off your bike. If you don't fail then you are not trying.
9. Life and work exist outside of London.
10. Designing is only, about, 20% of your job.
11. Have a life outside of Design.
12. Work hard and be nice to people.
As his graduation was fairly recent and his advances into the field have been so fast, the experience he gained is still very much fresh in his memory. The book is produced with a particular emphasis on typography, and gained Craig the following awards and nominations:
1. The ‘Certificate of Typographic Excellence’ from the ‘Type Directors Club, New York 2009’.
2. Bronze for ‘Best Use of Typography’, ‘The Roses Design Awards 2008’.
3. Nominated for ‘Best Promotional Brochure’ at ‘The Fresh Awards 2008’.
His lecture was simple, informal and humorous, and contained specific referenced his background and his book. It seems Craig has done very well in a substantially short amount of time, and comes across as a great role model for all graphic design students.
Craig Oldham is a relatively young designer who has progressed very quickly in the design scene. He is probably most well known for his book ’12 IN 12’.
Aimed at students, this book informally advises the best-practice techniques of which he experienced in his first twelve months of building a reputation in the design industry. He emphasizes what he considers are the most important factors involved in this process in twelve steps.
1. Understand what Graphic Design means to you.
2. Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.
3. A portfolio is for life, not just for an interview.
4. Placements matter. Do them.
5. The Design industry is small, everyone knows everybugger else.
6. Participate with other people and share your ideas.
7. Graphic Design is just a job, but being a designer is different.
8. Fall off your bike. If you don't fail then you are not trying.
9. Life and work exist outside of London.
10. Designing is only, about, 20% of your job.
11. Have a life outside of Design.
12. Work hard and be nice to people.
As his graduation was fairly recent and his advances into the field have been so fast, the experience he gained is still very much fresh in his memory. The book is produced with a particular emphasis on typography, and gained Craig the following awards and nominations:
1. The ‘Certificate of Typographic Excellence’ from the ‘Type Directors Club, New York 2009’.
2. Bronze for ‘Best Use of Typography’, ‘The Roses Design Awards 2008’.
3. Nominated for ‘Best Promotional Brochure’ at ‘The Fresh Awards 2008’.
His lecture was simple, informal and humorous, and contained specific referenced his background and his book. It seems Craig has done very well in a substantially short amount of time, and comes across as a great role model for all graphic design students.
