SB1: Creative Report Crit

Today, we had our first crit for our ideas on the artists that we find interest in and can influence us in our own design practice. I've chosen to show Rick Cho and June Digan as I felt that they were the artists that I confidently talk about as I felt that I've made enough research on them and their practice relating to my own. I've said for Cho how I really like the way he keeps the communication between him and the client, including not only his subjective take on the music when he's designing the album covers but also takes into account the target audience that the music is intended for. As I am very interested in a career route within music and the music industry as a graphic designer I really find Cho's creative process to be informative and helpful for myself as he works in a way where he can work with the methods and elements that he enjoys as well as concepts for his designs, but at the same time still keeping the balance of the commercial side of it and how the client themselves would like the design to look like as it has to also tie in to the rest of the promotional, marketing and branding identity of the client e.g. fashion design, video design etc.

Whilst talking about Digan, I mentioned how I like her personal self practice and how she keeps herself inspired and motivated to do work therefore I  would also like to learnt and understand how and where she gets her inspiration from, what she does, where she goes, what activities does she do, her everyday life? In addition, culturally I felt closer to Digan as she is Filipino, and her doing workshops with local youth also inspired me as she spreads her knowledge and experiences with them which I find really fresh and new in a country where artistic jobs and routes are deemed 'not real jobs' or unstable; she aims to show that it is possible and can be done.

After my crit, because I showed two different designers with two very different designers and disciplines I've been asked which one I leaned towards to the most, so I mentioned that although two have very interesting disciplines that I can learn form I was still deciding. However, Orlando told me that the creative report is about me and what I want to learn and what I am aiming to do in the future, which made me realise that I my original aims where - ever since last year, was to possibly have a job within the music industry as a graphic designer therefore it would probably be best for me to chose Rick Cho, as not only does he have a style and design process that I really like and would aspire to work like but also he works within the specific music genre and scene that I'd like to work in, which is Korean Pop and Hiphop. Therefore, I've decided that I would do my creative report on Cho. The only thing that I'm worried about is that he doesn't have an email that I can formally email him on, but only has social media accounts like Instagram and Twitter. I did ask Orlando if messaging him on Instagram  would be appropriate and formal, and he said that it is very possible and something that I can do as everyone these days use social media sites so much that they may be used as another normal communication tool in some way. Although, I still thought that it may be a bit too much and would not really make me sound serious and kind of invading their space in a way. In addition, I was also advised to probably revise the ethics policy of the University and see the guidelines. Other than that, I think I might just need to research a bit more about him in order for me to choose questions that relate to his work as well as give me more knowledge and understanding about how graphic design works in the Korean music industry; what his approaches are to different clients? How he approaches the brief other than listening to the music? Does he also discuss or collaborate with other creatives that work with other aspects of the client's album or overall brand?