Transcript of my presentation

1.Hello everyone!
As everybody knows my name is "María" and I am here as an Erasmus student from Spain. (general presentation about me)

2. I already finish my degree as an illustrator 4 years ago in the school of art: Arte 10 in Madrid.
It was a great time in my life because finally I was doing all that I wanted to do in my life: to draw.

3. And since I finished my degree I have been working as freelance for diferent companies (as Telefónica or Red cross) and mates. So I feel very lucky about that.
Also in the last two years I have still worked as freelance but sharing the studio with a lots of talented illustrators (as Marta altes or Caroline Selmes), photographers, designers, etc...

4. So, during the time that I have been working in that co-working studio (utopic_us) I learnt a lot from the people that was around me and also I had the opportunity to work for some of them in some occasions.

5. Also during this time I have been a very active person, visiting exhibitions and conferences, and the most important thing for me... Participating in masterly workshops of amazing illustrators that I really admire their works.
As Noemi VIllamuza or Oliver Jeffers, as one of my big references as illustrator.
           
6. I think this is an amazing ans wonderfull way to improve my career because I learn directly from artists that I really like and I have been following them from a long time ago.


7. And probably all this experience has helped to improve my skills as illustrator.
Also I attended a short course in Central Saint martins in London (Graphic Witness: The art of reportage illustration), which made me improve my skills when I do  sketches.


8. Because I think my sketches are one of my straightness. I think that I am a fast thinker with a very fresh and sponteneus style. Also I consider myself a hard worker with good communication skills and work hard to meet deadlines.

9. And also i think one of the other of my straights is that I am very analog illustrator.
And why this is a straight and not a weakness? I think now it is a lot of people who works by computer and some companies or agencies apreciate the work by hand.

10. So this is one of the reasons that I decided last year to start to study Graphic communication.
Because a part that I am a person that can´t to stop to learn new things about the subjets that I really love like this, I think that I am not that good graphic designer as i am on illustratos and I was really keen to improve my skills as a designer. And here I am!


11. During my time in Bath Spa I feel like I have learnt a lot!
Lithography, screen printing, how 3D design program works, stop motion video (that actually I really enjoyed...) or also how to create a magazine for ipad.

12. But I realized and I ca saya that I am not digital at all. Because I quite like to learn how works but I think is not for me.
I love to have darty hands when I am working.

13. And I think is really good to know what you want to be or do.
For me... I don´t remmeber the first time that I said my mum..."mum" I want to be an artist"
It is something that always I have wish it.

14. Because... I don´t know but when i am into a etching workshop I feel very happy! I love the smell. I really love it! I am very passionate about it!

15. So if you ask me what kind of illustrator I would like to be... I want to be...Happy! and happy mean do wherever I want to do. Draw, travel...and learn everything in relation with art.

16. And I don´t mind if I am designing beautifull tomato sauce tag´s or illustration children books because both are illustration and Probably I would be happy with both.

17. About if work as freelance or for a company. For my earlier experience I think I would preffer work as freelance because you can manage your time and is more compatible to travel that is my other passion.

Also still attending wokshops, conferences and events if I am available to do it without have to ask any manager or boss.

18. But anyway I am open to work in any way and still learning things. Because always work arround people is very rich.

19. Also I have had the opportunity to teach in several workshops (illustration techniques) and it was a very very good experience.

So to finish... I am very open to any opportunity in relation with my subjet and try to enjoy it as much as possible!

20. Hope you like my pressentation. Sorry for my terrible english and I really hope not having this face today!

Cheers!

Session 9. Tutorials (with S.Henley and Matt)

In the last session before our Pecha Kucha presentation we did a great exercise.

We start thinking in a speach 2 minutes long about something we are really passionate about it. I didn't have any doubt, I choose "illustration".

My two  minutes:

"When you said: you need to chose something that you are very passionate about it... I had no doubts!

ILLUSTRATION.

I can´t understand people who need time to think about what are their passions.

I think if you need to think it...you are not really passionate about it.

I am very passionate of illustration.

I don´t remember the first time that I had a pencil in my hands...

Usually when I am walking by the street I can see some people who looks like characters in my mind. I know! sounds crazy.

I really really love drawing because it is a way to be myself and espress who I am.

Even if I am sad....if I am happy it is a way to go away.

I love when I am into a etching or fine art workshps and i can smell the inks... I don´t know why but the smell makes me feel happy!

Even when I am travelling I always try to find a "fine art suplies shop" to buy some pencils or some other materials because I used to do travel sketchbooks but I like to do that with materials that I ´ve find in the city that I am visiting.

Also...."

Some "voluntaries" went to the front to do their speeches in front of a camera.

Then we watch that video and we disscus about corporal language.

I find quite interesting how our bodies talk. How we walk, our moves, how we are stand or sit down...

Body say a lot about our personality or feelings.

This is very important in an interview, conference or anything like that.

If we are talking in a conference we have to stay in a right position, don´t move too much or too less.

Don´t make things like...touching our neck meanwhile we are talking, because this looks like we are not confident about us and we are trying to protect ourselves.

Or say a lot of times "ehhh...." between spaces of time....that looks like very insecure as well.

Also we watched this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc about this subject. Pretty interesting as well.

* Client. Society cafe.

During Easter break I tried to go to cafes with my sketchbook, my watercolors and mi ipod and drawing as usually I used to do.
One day I was in Society cafe, a really cool cafe on town. And I did a little sketch of their coffee machine and I "twitt" it.
The "follow me back", and they told me that they quite liked my work.



(Thanks to this twitt a lot of people in Bath started to follow me).

And the next day...

They were looking for an illustrator to design a little map of the centre of Bath.

Of course I send them the application by email, even someone in twitter recommend me for this.

I was pretty happy for this.

They quite liked my work, so they gave to me the opportunity to design this map.

They gave to me a quick brief, but I had totally liberty. So that make me feel very comfortable because when I feel free I work so much better.

The brief:

Map is going to be used for a little postcard which is going to explain where is our cafe and where is going to be the new one.

We like bicycles and we love coffee of course.

They really appreciates the illustrator work, so it was very easy and nice work for them.

Before start to design my map I did a research of maps on internet.

Also I found this map in the last "Bath Life".

Then I started to do some sketches and finally I choose this idea.

And here is the last piece ready to be printed.
They were very happy with the result and very impressed for the fast work

It was great work for them and a great experience.

Session 8. Tutorials (with S.Henley and Matt)

In this session we still working in our identity.
*more info: http://mariajosegajatemolina.blogspot.co.uk/

Session 7. Tutorials (with S.Henley and Matt)

In this session we work together with Matt.

As I talk in my other blog we started to design our own Identity.
So in this session we choose some of our logos and we discussed and critiqued about them. One of them was mine.

More info in: http://mariajosegajatemolina.blogspot.co.uk/
(in Stage 5. We start to design our personal identity. First part)

Session 6. Tutorials (with S.Henley)

During this session we started to practise in our Pecha Kucha (www.pechakucha.org) presentation by groups.

Every group choose a subject. Something that we are passionate about it.

It  was very difficult to find a passion in common but finally we choose "chocolate".

And we started to work in our presentation. That day we did a shorter Pecha Kucha, just 10 images. So half of the time.

My sketch/ ideas for our Pecha Kucha:

1. Picture of chocolate.

2. What is chocolate? and a little cocoa seeds picture under the question.

3. Beautifull picture about where the cocoa comes from. Little esplication.

4. Aztecas god picture. Info: "pronounced ka-kow. Theodoro ma is greek for "food of gods". (Some interesting info)

5.Picture of someone eating chocolate. "So everyone is a big "god""

6,7,8. Benefits of chocolate.

9. So this is why I really love chocolate! it have a lot of benefits! meanwhile you enjoy it!

10. Some fun conclusion speach and picture.

We choose a member of the team to represent.

And these were our pictures.

Session 5. EXECUTION (with S.Henley)

This session we talked about double diamond.

The Double Diamond is a design process model which focuses on four steps: discover,define, develop and deliver.

Discover: initial ideas or inspiration and establishment of user needs. So, we have  to "discover" what the client needs.

Define: interpretation and alignment of findings to project objectives.

Develop: design-led concepts and proposals iterated and assessed. So,begin developing ideas, review...

Deliver: process outcome(s). Finalized and implemented.

*image of internet

Then we watched a couple videos and we took some notes, thinking in what we learnt in earliers sessions... (s.w.o.t, Competitive Analysis, Double Diamond...)
After that we discuss about it.

Video 1: 

Re-branding Walmart highlighted the process of creating a new visual identity very well. 

http://bcove.me/33uyq4gp

http://www.aiga.org/video-gain-2010-mathews-mcclain/ 

Video 2: 

NYC. Marketing and tourism, focused on the creation of the new NYC tourism centre in Times Square, NY.

http://bcove.me/wyth9dbd

http://www.aiga.org/video-gain-2010-wong-barton/