Brighton

Just spent a long weekend in Brighton, which was a really great break, Brighton is so buzzy - much like Ipswich really - LOL! Stayed at the Metropol which made a good base to explore from.

Spent lots of time meandering around the Lanes, I especially loved the North Laine area, which amazingly, despite having visited Brighton on numerous occassions had managed to completely miss previously!!

Plenty of eating, drinking and people watching too, a special treat being dinner at the Hotel du Vin, which we also escaped to on the Saturday evening to avoid the numerous hen and stag parties roaming around - what is it with hen parties? Do they have to have their names on their T-shirts (or tutus) for when they get so completely pissed they can't remember them!

Lots of examples of good bad and indifferent indie graphics on shops - a few examples here!!

And yet more work experience........

In my continuing efforts to experience the real world of Graphic Design, I have spent a day each at 2Cs and Fuel Creative. 2Cs is a relatively large concern with 3 main divisions and a number of staff, they are located at Martlesham and their business is national with only 10% of clients Suffolk and Ipswich based. This was a really interesting day and as well as talking at length to Jack Thompson about his company and all things Graphic Design, I also got to talk to many of the staff about the jobs they had and their particular career routes. They were all really helpful and friendly and I picked up lots of advice and tips for the coming year.

Fuel Creative comprises just two guys, Clive and Tim, working out of an office space on Ransomes Europark along with a freelance designer, Sarah. For such a small set up their had an impressive portfolio, and again I got a really useful insight into life in a small design studio. I also got to have a go at a current brief for a new corporate ID for a mobile tyre company and to do some research on competitors and possible images for a web site for a personal injury lawyer.

So far, I think I would prefer to work in a 2Cs type set up and be part of a bigger team.