Inspiring Intimidation

I announced a few days ago that I was attending the two day Australian design conference, Semi Permanent… well this article is a semi review of it.

Inspiring Intimidation

Yes the conference was inspirational - very much so - yet it was also quite intimidating, which I suppose is just natural. For 6 hours each day, one listened to leading industry professionals talk about their design process, work, awards and in some cases, their income.

After hearing all of these leaders speak about their achievements there really was no other choice but to feel some form of intimidation which ironically, is quite uninspiring… It makes you think to yourself “am I actually any good?” which obviously can take a toll on your self confidence & motivation.

Anyway, here are some things to remember:

• Everyone was a beginner at some stage
• You improve over time
• Luck can come your way at any time
• With knowledge comes power
• …but with power comes responsibility
• Be comfortable of where you are at but know where you want to go
• Explore, experiment and practice
• Take risks but be aware of your limitations
• Don’t compare yourself to others
• Be aware of ‘fakers’

Intimidating Logo Design

To put this into perspective, I will put this into a scenario that I am most familiar with. Many of you may know that I specialise in logo and identity design however this was not always the case.

Before I was specialising in logo design, I was always fascinated by other professional logo designs and designers such as the many talented ones found over at LogoPond. Little did I know that many of these logo designs were actually fictional.

Designers create ‘exceptional’ logo designs, based on made up names / themes (ie. no real client) which are then blended to create a seemingly ‘perfect’ logo. Although this has been pointed out before, it can be extremely intimidating… you think to yourself “I could have never come up with a design like that”.

This relates back to the design conference where such mind blowing work was being shown off…  you compare the awesome work to the skills you believe you currently have which then results in a sense of awe and in some cases, intimidation.

The point I am trying to make here is that while on the surface something may seem great and all inspiring, there is much more than to it that - much more. Don’t be uninspired by intimidating inspiration, just get out there and do your best, you’re time will come.

Australian Design Conferences

Below you will find a list of Australian design conferences, events, competitions & exhibitions.

If you know of any more, please do get in contact.

Semi Permanent

What is Semi Permanent?

Two days of inspiration and industry insight from leading industry professionals. I went last year (2008) and it was great, I even wrote a review about it here. For more information view the Semi Permanent website.

Where

Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland

When?

April-ish

2009 Cost:
Students: 1 day = $80 OR 2 days = $120
General: 1 day = $230 OR 2 days = $290

Video summary of last years 2008 Semi Permanent:

(If you can’t see the video below, click here to view on YouTube)

AGIdeas

What is AGIdeas?

“AGIdeas is the largest annual international design event held in Australia. Comprising of an international design conference, studio visits, workshops, competition, secondary school forum, business breakfast, gala dinner and a huge after party.”

Where & When?
This event is down in Melbourne and is a bit more expensive (especially when you have to cater in accommodation, airfares, etc) but it is worth it. It usually starts in May.

2008 Cost:
Students: $290 for 3 days
Lecturer: $360 for 3 days
Professional: $480 for 3 days

Review:

You can find a review of the agIdeas 2009 here.

Video summary of last years (2008) AGIdeas:
(If you can’t see the video below, click here to view on YouTube)

More Australian Design Conferences, Events & Competitions

Below you find a list of other design events happening around Australia courtesy of Design Droplet.

Adelaide Fringe 2009
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Dates: 27th February to 2nd March 2009

LISA Forum Asia 2009 - Global Design & Innovation.
Location - Taipei Taiwan
Dates: 6th to 9th April 2009
The 2009 LISA Forum Asia in Taipei features two days of presentations plus workshops and roundtables on the theme of Global Design & Innovation.

DesignEX 2009 -Revelations, Visitations, Inspirations.
Location - Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center - Melbourne, Australia
Dates: 30th April to 2nd May 2009
Over 300 top design companies will congregate at DesignEX, Australia’s most comprehensive interior architecture and design event, to celebrate the very best in design innovation.

National Manufacturing Week - Australia’s Premier Manufacturing Technology Exhibition
Location - Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center - Melbourne, Australia
Dates: 12th to 15th May 2009
National Manufacturing Week (NMW) provides a unique opportunity to source new products and technologies for Australia’s manufacturing industry.


State of Design 2009 - Victoria’s Design Festival
Location - Melbourne, Australia
Dates: 15th to 25th July 2009
The State of Design is Victoria’s peak design festival. This annual winter event covers cross-disciplinary design agendas relating to the design profession and the marketplace.


Furnitex 2009 -Furniture Trade Fair
Location - Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Center - Melbourne, Australia
Dates:16th to 19th July 2009
FURNITEX and the co-located DECORATION + DESIGN Melbourne return in 2009 with more than 600 key industry manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and suppliers will display the latest and best of Australian furniture & furnishings.


Melbourne Fringe Festival 2009
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Dates: 23rd September to 11th October 2009


Singapore Design Festival 2009
Location: Singapore
Dates: 20th to 30th November
The Festival will also present the best of design in Singapore with the President’s Design Award 2009 Ceremony and Exhibition, Singapore Creative Circle Awards and more.


Design Difference: Redesigning the world - 2009 ICSID World Design Congress
Location: Singapore
Dates: 23rd to 25th of November 2009 (Congress), 26th to 27th of November 2009 (General Assembly)
“Design Difference” is a call to re-establish the relevance and value of design. It necessitates a review of design issues we strive to make a better world through pervasive design.

Why attend design events or conferences?

Design conferences  & events are an excellent source of inspiration… the speakers are at the top of their respective fields and they share with us their experience and expertise that they have gained getting to that position - something that is invaluable as a young designer or professional for that matter. By seeing these presentations or attending these events it gives a valuable insight into the industry… showing you new styles and techniques that can push yourself and your work in new directions.

Have you been to any other conferences before? What were they like? Would love to hear your stories.

Advice For Design Students

Having an online presence in the design world has left me quite a position to fill, in fact, I get about one or two emails every day from design students requesting advice or an interview.

Most of the time I do try to reply however, many times I seem to be repeating myself…. the question that comes up guaranteed, every time is:

What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to a designer just starting out?

I usually respond with the same paragraph each time (it is saved in my Gmail drafts folder) and my advice goes something like this:

The biggest piece of advice that I would give an upcoming designer comes in a ‘package’ based from the little things that I have learned over my short career as a designer. These would be perfect for someone just starting out… Don’t undervalue your work. Seek criticism, not praise. Always keep learning & don’t be a static learner… do this by reading books, magazines, blogs and by practising. Collect & share things. Teach others. Never give up. Keep practising. Again, keep practising.

Advice From Other Professionals

Every week I interview a professional designer here on Just Creative Design (the section is called Designer In The Spotlight) and in every interview I have asked this exact same question - what is your biggest piece of advice for a designer just starting out?

Below are the responses from the designers who I have interviewed so far.

Lady Omega - Never give up. Generate as much happiness as possible. The main thing is to start, not speculate, but just start doing.

Elliot Jay Stocks - Work for ‘the man’ before going freelance straight out of university or college.

Colin Wright - Stick to your guns. If you like your style, and other people like your style, who cares if other other people don’t like your style?

Be knowledgeable. About anything and everything. This will allow you to relate to more and make you a more effective communicator.

Don’t be above anything. Sometimes the small jobs can lead to big ones (though don’t take a job just because a larger one was dangled in front of you).

Kai Chan Vong - Don’t give up. But don’t expect it to be easy. If you want to be half decent, you should expect to work really hard and try to learn from others as much as possible. The Internet has made it so that if you want to be a great designer - you need to learn from others on a day to day basis. Whether that’s from friends, co-workers or other designers… you need to constantly have your mind open. Good luck! You can do it!

Mike Smith - Never quit. No matter what gets in your way, or what hurdle you have to jump over, just keep going. I don’t care if you read zero websites and network with no one, just keep going. Push yourself and never give up. People will run their mouth and sometimes you might hit a dry spell in clients, but keep going. Use that time to design your own work or build something useful for other people. Progress every day. If you don’t take a step, you never move forward. Why sit still if you’re not happy in your current situation?

Prescott Perez-Fox - Make friends with everyone. Make sure you have people, upon people, upon people who you can call to collaborate with to make a job referral, or even just to chat and blow off steam. Don’t be that mad-scientist type who stays locked up all day… get out and make friends.

Drew Dunlap - Work your butt off! If you don’t try your best and give it your all, the customer will know… not only because of the way that they’re treated but also just by looking at their artwork.

Treat everyone you work with with respect and be kind. Customers talk about good designers but they talk way more about bad designers. Be respectful on blogs, contests and anything web related. Being distasteful not only reflects bad on you personally but also for your business. Don’t use slang or internet terms when talking with customers, be professional.

Think of grade-school… treat them as you’d like to be treated!

Chris Spooner - Strive to keep yourself updated with changes in the industry, this particularly relates to web design which seems to move at a pretty fast pace!

Jennifer Farley - Use a contract and get at least 25% upfront when doing design work.

Doug Cloud - Don’t give up. No matter how much you want to. No one is going to succeed if they give up. And besides, why would you want to?

Emily Lewis - Read, read, read what is out there, even if you don’t understand it all. Eventually, it will start to “click.”

And then, practice, practice, practice. Make your own site/portfolio/blog and implement the “cool” things you read about, even if it take hours to get it to work. You’ll never forget something you had to pull your hair out to get working.

Andi Creffield - If you’re in it for the money, you’re in the wrong business.

Kate McInnes - Don’t give up, don’t copy other peoples stuff and don’t forget to have fun!

Fabio Sasso - I think the most important thing is to love the whole design process, from the beginning to the end. That really helps when you have to start something from the scratch or review some steps. Also practice and share your experience with the others, it’s a nice way to recycle your thoughts and get more point of views.

Albert Lo - I’ve learned a lot by making mistakes along the way and to this day I’m still learning. My biggest piece of advice I would give someone starting out is to persevere trying to find your first design job, don’t get disheartened and be confident in what you design. Take your mind off things by coming up with personal projects or take a part time job, your first design job to get your foot through the door will come out of the blue when you least expect it.

Brian Yerkes - Never stop adding to your skill set, and always make sure that when you look back over your previous year, you have come a long way baby!

Further Advice For Design Students

• 1000 Words Of Advice For Design Students
• Top 10 Design Questions From Students
• 70+ Graphic Design Tips
• 24 Creatives Share Their Best Career Advice

What would is the best piece of advice you could give a design student?

The Design Process Of Creating A $40,000 Creative Newspaper Advertisement

This semester at University I am studying ‘Design For Advertising’ and the first project we received was based around how to professionally design a creative newspaper ad. I am going to go through the process I used to create one along with some tips on the way.

The Brief

In short, we were to design a creative newspaper advertisement / campaign for the factitious chocolate company sweets2u.com and the purpose of the campaign was to create awareness of the new and exciting chocolate delivery dot-com.

The sweets2u service is based on chocolates arriving the next day anywhere in the country, along with a personalised message printed on a personally selected decorative card.

We were asked to find an interesting way to advertise this service to the nation.

We were given no other information (not even a budget) and we had to find out what would be the best way to raise awareness of this new business so this meant we had to research the size, the number and where to place the advertisements.

Research

Where to advertise?

Before we even began on trying to come up with an idea we had to try to figure out the best place to advertise in a newspaper and for the best price that would be within the budget of this dot-com company. We researched newspaper demographics, prices, sizes and distribution numbers and finally came down to choosing to advertise in the Weekend Australian newspaper.

We chose this paper because it suited our target market of high socio-economic business people, mainly 25-60 year olds who would be more likely to send chocolate via the internet and had the money to do so.

What size to advertise?

After knowing what paper to advertise in, we had to choose the size and where to advertise in the paper and also compare prices with other newspapers. We did this by looking at newspaper advertising rate charts and by making calls to the advertising departments which proved to be a lot easier than working it out ourselves from the website rate chart. We had to take into considerations things such as colour loading (30% more to use colour) and what side of the paper to put the ad on which some papers charged more for.

We finally chose to advertise on page 3, on the bottom right side of the paper which you can see in the diagram to the right. The actual size was 20cm by 10 columns which is 20cm X 37.6cm in this particular paper. The cost for this would be AUD$40,368 inc GST for a full colour ad and that would be distributed to 305,000+ people.

What is the Unique Selling Point (USP)?

After we had decided on what paper and size to use, we could now begin creating an ad. The easiest way to sell a product is to find a unique selling point and after a bit of brainstorming and discussion we came down to these USPs for sweets2u.com; They delivered chocolate conveniently via the use of the internet and they offered personalised messages, something that you don’t get when you buy chocolate any other way. These were the USPs we focused on.

Brainstorming

After choosing the USP’s I brainstormed ideas of which you can see one of my very messy mind maps below. I generally go pretty crazy with these things and jot down as many words that come to mind within a space of about 5 minutes - this is just a method that works with me. There are many other methods on how to be creative.

After I brainstormed, I did many rough (emphasise on the rough) sketches and came up with about 70 different ideas. Below you can see a few based around the same ‘Chocolate Delivered’ theme.

I didn’t think the ‘chocolate being delivered’ theme was working too well as the ideas were too basic so I then started thinking about ideas on the USP of the service being personalised. I came up with quite a few ideas however the one idea that I ended up using actually came to me while I was trying to get to sleep… is anyone else like that?

Execution

After I had the idea firmly envisioned in my head I finally started on the execution of the ad. Below you can see my original rough (again, rough being emphasised) sketch of the proposed ad. It depicts a pair of briefs, chocolate and socks hanging on a clothes line with the tag line “Very Personal”.

The body copy underneath will read;

Choosing a present is never easy but don’t resort to socks or undies this time, instead let us do the work for you.

We will deliver chocolate anywhere in Australia overnight guaranteed…

…all you need to do is log onto www.sweets2u.com and write a personalised message to go with it! You don’t even have to leave your house.

I then went down to the shops bought some chocolate (mmm) came back, grabbed my camera, some of my undies (sorry you had to see them) and socks and went outside, pegged up the items on the clothes line and shot my scene. I experimented with different shots, combinations and lighting and after about 50 shots came back and reviewed them. You can see 4 variations below and the chosen image below it.

After choosing the shot above, I clipped out the background to simplify the scene.

I then added a nice blue cloudy background to set the scene a bit more.

I then played around with the text, body copy and positioning logo until I was happy. Below you can see the final design - you will have to click on it to be able to read the body copy. The fonts I used were Franklin Gothic Demi for the body copy and Salamander for the heading. (If you have read the post 30 fonts graphic designers must know and own you would know that the font Franklin Gothic is great for newspapers!)

And upon completing the advertisement I got to eat the chocolate! It was a sweet reward.

Mistakes To Avoid When Designing For Newspapers

Here are some mistakes to avoid when designing for newspapers along with some other tips.

Too much clutter – Don’t forget the importance of white space. If you can’t fit in all the information you had hoped to, consider going with a larger sized ad, or editing down your information to a more manageable amount or get creative… how can you say your whole message in just a few words or a picture?

Unclear message – Make sure you know what you are trying to get your reader to do before you start to design your ad. Keep this objective in mind at all times and review your ad when you are done to make sure this has been accomplished.

Errors – Even though it may seem easy to proofread such a small set of type, sometimes errors show up and are glossed over no matter how many times you read it. To be safe, have someone else review your ad for you also… this goes with almost all graphic design work. This is actually one of the top 15 mistakes designers make.

Lack of contact information – This common error is particularly frustrating for readers. You may have convinced your reader to contact you or purchase your products, but if they can’t easily find contact information, they will probably not bother to look much further. Always have a call to action.

AIDA - Try to remember this acronym… AIDA. Attention, Information, Desire, Action. Get the consumers attention, give them the information and desire for your product, then give them a call to action.

One More Tip - Another thing I noticed while researching effective newspaper ads was that any ad that had a solid block of colour as its background (with a lot of white space) really grabbed your attention straight away… you couldn’t turn the page without looking at it. This was one of the reasons I simplified my advertisement by removing the white background and adding the blue sky.

On another note, if you like creative advertising, you must check out out this list of 192 creative advertisements.

Hope you enjoyed reading through my design process and as always, constructive criticism is welcome, as well as any comments or questions. How was my copy writing? Could I improve on it?

70+ Graphic Design Tips

Below are some graphic design tips that were submitted by JCD readers earlier this week as part of our 5000+ subscribers celebration. Read more »

Want to know how to design? Learn The Basics.

Want to know how to design? Then you should learn the basics of design. The basic elements of design include colour, line, shape, scale, space, texture and value and these are the fundamental pieces that make up any piece of work. If you ever start a design course this will be the very first thing that you are taught, guaranteed.

But what if you’re not a student? What if you’re not self-taught? What if you are a looking for ways to enhance your design skills? Then this is the guide for you.

Note from Jacob Cass: This is a guest article written by Lauren Marie who is a graphic designer in corporate America during the day and a blogger via night.

Colour

Colour has a huge impact on the mood of the design. A predominantly red colour usually represents strong emotions—love, anger, passion—while blue can make the design feel calm, cool and peaceful. Color contributes to the unity of a series of flyers, emphasizes important information and leads the eye through a design.

Select articles on color:

• Using Colour: Real World Examples
• The Colour Wheel and Color Theory
• Pantone Swatches on Squidoo
• Colour: Meaning, Symbolism and Psychology on Squidoo
• The Best Colour Tools Online

Line

Are your lines straight and slim, or thick and squiggly? The quality of the line (hand drawn to precise) can say a lot about the mood you are setting with your design. Hand drawn or thick lines tend towards juvenile themes, where as straight and thin lines are more refined, corporate or intelligent.

How lines interact with each other is important, too. If they are straight, thin lines, but are colliding at all sorts of crazy angles, that is going to be chaotic. If they have a hand drawn quality to them but are more or less straight and orderly, this can give a much needed personal appeal to a design.

Select articles on line:

• Using Line: Real World Examples
• Artist’s Toolkit: Line
• Introduction to the Elements of Design: Point and Line

Shape

Did you know that shapes can convey a mood just like any other element of design? Angular shapes like squares and triangles tend to indicate masculinity, while smooth and curving shapes like circles are more feminine. Squares are very familiar to us (think of your monitor, a piece of paper or the TV screen), so they are secure, trustworthy and stable. Circles very pleasing to the eye and are organic, whole, peaceful and exude unity.

Select articles on shape:

Using Shape: Real World Examples

About.com Shapes in Design

Scale and Size

Bring balance, proportion and contrast to your designs with scale and size. Just for reference, size is the actual dimensions of an element on the page, scale is the element’s relation to its original (like putting a person on a billboard—it’s going to be “larger than life”) and proportion is the relation of all the elements on the page in terms of size and scale. Use scale and proportion to indicate the actual size of an object or to emphasize the difference in the sizes of two objects (a child’s hand against its mother’s is a common use of size).

Select articles on scale/size:

Using Scale: Real World Examples

Space

Space is often referred to as white space, and gives the design some breathing room and the eye a place to rest. An ill use of space (or perhaps a very well planned out use) can make the design feel crowded and claustrophobic. Too much space, however, and the design can seem unfinished, like it’s missing something. Once you know the rules (for any of these elements, really), you can also experiment with breaking them in order to push a different emotional response.

Select articles on space:

Using Space: Real World Examples

A List Apart: Whitespace

Texture

Texture is a fun element to experiment with and use to bring realism to your designs. It can be effectively used to add visual interest and it really helps make a design unique. Textures are not just applied in the computer; you can take into consideration the materials used in the final printed pieces, too.

Select articles on line:

Using Texture: Real World Examples

Value

Value can really add unity to your designs if you pay attention to this neglected element. It is also a great way to create a focal point and guide the viewer’s eye through the layout. This little element can bring together parts of the design to make them balanced; using elements similar in a high intensity value (light, towards the white end of the spectrum) can create a subdued tone, where values lower in intensity (darker, towards black) can be ominous and foreboding. Using values on either extreme of the spectrum has a very dramatic effect.

Select articles on value:

ArtLex: Value

The Purpose of Graphic Design

The purpose of graphic design is communication. As you go through each stage of your design process, ask yourself how you are using each of these elements of design to enhance the delivery of the message, affect the mood of the piece and relate the product or message to the target audience. Remember that these elements apply to everything in the layout, from composition, to photos, to typography.

2008 Semi-Permanent Design Conference Review

Here is some graphic design news… On the weekend I went to the well respected two day design conference ‘Semi-Permanent‘ that was held here in Sydney, Australia. I am going to give a short review / summary as well as some interesting information about the conference.

There is some pictures on Flickr of the actual conference.

So what is Semi Permanent?

In my words… two days of inspiration and industry insight…

From the Semi Permanent website… “To put it simply Semi-Permanent is a design event. It consists of a conference and side events which include exhibitions, competitions, workshops and parties. It’s a week long celebration of all things design. Graphic Design, Film, Art, Illustration, Web Design, Photography, Visual Effects, Animation, Graffiti, Motion Graphics, Stop Motion; all these things and more. Semi-Permanent explores the diverse and exciting design world bringing together exceptionally talented artists and designers to speak at the event.”

The entry was AUD$100 for the two days as I am a student however for non students it was AUD$280.

Why did I attend?

Semi-Permanent is an excellent source of inspiration. The speakers are at the top of their respective fields and they share with us, their experience and expertise that they have gained getting to that position - something that is invaluable as a young designer and student. By seeing these presentations it gives me an invaluable insight into the industry… showing me new styles and techniques that can push myself and my work in new directions.

Day 1

Who spoke on day 1 of the conference?

For short bios, links to their website and some of their work you can check out the Semi Permanent site or I have provided links to their websites below.

• LifeLounge; Jamie Driver and Luke Lucas (Graphic Design)
• Ben Frost (Graffiti / Painter / Graphic Artist)
• Debaser; David Homer & Aaron Hayward (Graphic Design)
• The Directors Bureau; Lana Kim (Video + Advertising)
• Sixty40; Matt Taylor and Mark Simpson (Animation + Advertsing)
• Spencer Platt (Photo Journalist) You can see his 3 most famous pictures below.

What did they speak about?

Mostly how they went about doing their work, the thought processes behind their work and showcases of their work and then some. But to sum up an 7 hour conference into a paragraph or two is not quite sufficient nor fair but I will mention this one philosophy that Life Lounge mentioned…

When trying to price a job use the Cheap/Good/Fast pricing structure. Choose only two of the three things mentioned and that is how you should price your job based on those things.

eg. If a client wants a good product fast, obviously you will charge a lot more. If a client wants a good product for cheap, chances are it’s not going to be fast. If a client wants a fast product for cheap then chances are it is not going to be good. You should base your prices around this.

Try to get your head around that, it’ll probably take a few reads.

Day 2

Who spoke on day 2 of the conference?

For short bios, links to their website and some of their work you can check out the Semi Permanent site or I have provided links to their websites below.

• Alex Trochut (Typographer / Graphic Artist) - Some of his work can be seen below.
• Anthony Lister (Painter)
• Superfad (Animation)
• Amy Sol (Fine Art Painter)
• North Kingdom (Web Designers)
• Pixar (Animation)

What did they speak about?

In general what I mentioned above… how they went about doing their work, the thought processes behind their work and showcases of their work and then some. I will outline one of speakers that really stood out…

Anthony Lister (a talented American painter/artist who paints superheroes) was hilarious and down right original (yet scary). First he came out on stage with another guy dressed as spider man and then Anthony with a pop gun, shot him down - a very strange intro. Spiderman stayed dead on stage for the full hour.

Then Lister just said “I am not really good at presentations”, sat down and put up a photo slideshow of him and his friends smoking bongs and partying. People thought it was a joke however it went on for about 45mins of the full hour, with him pretty much just blubbering on about nothing, mumbling and saying random hilarious things (pretty sure he was high)…

About a quarter of 2500 people in the audience actually stood up and left with disgust after 15 minutes of his ‘presentation’ but for the ones who stayed it was hilarious. It was, by far, the least serious talk of the 2 days but the most entertaining - that is for sure. For example, someone in the audience asked Lister the question “Why do you paint?” and he replied in a slow, slurred and thoughtful tone of voice “Why do you brush your teeth? …long pause… to keep your teeth from rotting and falling out… long pause… that is why I paint. Yeah that is why I paint.” Maybe not so funny in writing but the crowd found it pretty hilarious.

He is one hell of a character that is for sure. You can check out some videos of him and his crazy personality and his awesome work on You Tube.

Conclusion

About 10 of the 12 speakers really struck a chord with me as they were truly inspirational. Their work was extremely inspiring and it was very hard to choose my favourite speaker so I have narrowed it down to LifeLounge, Sixty40 and Alex Trochut. All three were extremely entertaining and just totally unreal and inspirational.

I would give day the 2 day conference a good 8/10 and without a doubt I will be going again next year. I would highly highly recommend it to all students studying design as well as professionals. There is actually a similar 4 day conference in Melbourne, Australia by the name of AGideas which is being held at the end of April. Don’t miss out, get tickets now.

Oh and I forgot to mention… as an added bonus, everyone who went also received an awesome goody bag with free design magazines and books (300+ pages) along with other random design paraphernalia such as mouse pads, industry news and promo material. Quite a treat.

Anyway hope this has encouraged you to get out there and be active in the design community. To find out about future events and graphic design news check out websites such as Dexigner or stay subscribed here on Just Creative Design.