And it looks like the summer is over...

Well I started third year at the University of the West of Scotland this week studying BA Digital Art. Here's hoping the next two years will be good and productive ones! We we're given a short presentation on Personal Development Planning on our first day so I think I shall use this blog as my PDP tool. How exciting! Stay tuned...

Another milestone I've reached this week is my centennial design job (V100, woohoo!) at South Lanarkshire Leisure. This folder has been my dreadfully boring companion during this placement! It contains all my briefs, alterations, print requests and invoices, which has of course been organised in an overly anal way! On a lighter note, my work placement has been extended by six months accompanied by a pay raise and for the past two weeks I've been the sole graphic designer of the company. Its been an experience. All I can say is that I'm looking forward to my colleague's return next week!

Recently I came across the website of the South African graphic designer and illustrator Audrey Botha. Her work is inspiring and her impressive versatility lets her use her unique style across a wide range of media. I recomend that you check her out!

Small Website Updates

I've added a few things on my website since it was needing some TLC! I added a little chatbox on my contacts page. Go and leave a little message!

I've also added a new website under the 'design' section of the links page. The website is http://www.graphic-design-employment.com/. Although it looks a little bland, its got page after page of great relevant information about working within the industry. I've not been through the whole site yet, but probably will have pretty soon! Go check it out!

Exhibition Stall

Well I've had this picture on my phone for nearly a month now and I just recently found my USB cable and I've finally got round to uploading it! Here's a little glimpse of my exhibition stall minus a a lovely white table cloth! My stall featured Funky Bunnies, Razor magazine, Vector Self Portrait, Auld's Delicious Desserts and Triangle.

I also had some business cards laid out on the table for people to take away. I got them printed off at Moo who provide a wonderful service at quite an inexpensive price. I really recommend them!

Unfortunately, I didn't win a prize at the Craftex Exhibition, but all I can say was that it was an honour to have a piece of my work entered into it. Other work displayed there ranged from jewellery design to glass work. Glasgow truly is the home of lots and lots of talented individuals! I was really impressed by everything I saw.

Sine my exhibition in June I've been working for South Lanarkshire Leisure. Its been a great experience and I'm now on my 49th job. So in celebration of my fiftieth job (which will be filed as V50) I'll write a post about what I've been up to there shortly.

Designer Paper Toys

I've updated the Gallery section of my website recently and added a few images from a self - initiated college project, Funky Bunnies. The only requirements of this project was to design two separate elements. I ended up creating a selection of 5 "funky bunnies", a blank template for customizing, and packaging for flat "funky bunnies", letting the end user cut out and hand make their own lovably bunny.

During this project, I was inspired by superb artists and illustrators such as Matt Hawkins, Shin Tanaka and Mark Jame's awesome concept of CardBoy. I really recommend you visit these websites and print out and create a little buddy of your own!

'Departures' Exhibition Launch Night

Oh my its been a very busy day.

Worked all day creating various little leaflets and stationary for South Lanarkshire Leisure, went on a very long lunch trip to Paisley to pick up my business cards, which I am really happy with, and after work I went into College for our end of year exhibition launch.

It was a great night, with a lot of really great quality work on display. The free wine is always a plus also! I'd like to thank all of my friends and family who came along and showed their support. I really appreciate it! The exhibition is on until Friday 12th June, for more details click here.

A lecturer has put my Triangle Artist's Book into the CraftEx exhibition in Glasgow's Trade House.

"Showcasing and rewarding the very best traditional and modern crafts, design and technology skills taught at Glasgow’s colleges of further education is Craftex 2009, the Trades House of Glasgow’s annual craft awards and exhibition. The overall best in show winner will be presented with their Gold Medal on Thursday 11 June at 10am, as doors open to this free, four day exhibition at the Trades Hall. "

The awards ceremony is on Friday night (12th June 2009) which is also my 21st Birthday, so hopefully I'll have some birthday luck on my side! I'm visiting the Trades House on Thursday to have a gander. It should be very interesting to see the other contributing student's work from a whole range of colleges in the Glasgow area.

Triangle launch night at Kibble Palace

A few nights ago I attended the launch night of Brown Williams Journal's Triangle, the first of a series of limited edition books containing collaborations of artists from several different disciplines.

As part of our college graded unit, six of us created Artist's Books containing some of Triangle's short stories and CD packaging. We showed these books at the beautiful Kibble Palace in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens. Here are some pictures I took in a rush from my mobile phone, hopefully I'll have some better quality pictures up soon!

The evening really was quite superb. With the Summer sun beaming above us, the launch consisted of readings from the authors and music from King Arthur's Men amongst others, all inspired from Triangle, and I can't forget to mention the free bubbly!

I found this event and its architects truly inspiring. It must be so fulfilling to witness the fruits of your labour and your ideas becoming so successful. Maybe one day I'll experience this on a similar level.

www.victoriahaining.co.uk is now open!

I now declare http://www.victoriahaining.co.uk/ now open! Its been several months in the making and several years in imagination but it is finally here! So please go and visit it and check out some of the pictures in my gallery. Its been a long and grueling process but it has been a labour of love.

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