Metagraphics

We paint murals and make logos

Illustration

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The creative life

It’s hard work sticking to the creative field. I think it has to be in your blood.

After speaking to a friend from design college who is now working in real estate I’m reminded that many of my professional colleagues in the creative industry, and even more friends from University, are no longer in the design field.

The first wave dropped out shortly after uni. I must admit it was pretty defeating for me, hounding design studio’s for 6 months before finally being given an amazing opportunity at Billabong. I sometimes wonder if that initial test of endurance created in me a tenacity to stick with the creative industries.

Even with the amazing opportunity that presented itself though, I notice another wave of colleagues change courses when those inital “foot in the door” opportunities didn’t have the prestige that most designers are hungry for. Mine certainly didn’t. I was spending 3 days out of 5 pretty much entering data into sales catalogues. But while I watched colleagues use the other 2 days to read articles online and take long lunch breaks, I found my job satisfaction in practicing my design and illustration techniques.

Perseverance and practice got me into a great art directing role but they also taught me to enjoy the process that has kept me designing and refining as a professional for 20 years. Because unless you love the process you won’t stay long in the design field. And there are definitely parts of the process I have hated and that have worn me down.

The possibilities have only increased as I keep persevering, practicing but the process is something I have learnt to trust. I’m a big believer in the idea that practice, perseverance and a love of the process lead to possibilities. Look at that, alliteration!

So what?

Well I guess if you’re on a creative path I want to encourage you to stick with it. Keep refining it. If you persevere with the practice and process then unexpected possibilities will come. The creative spark that got you started will never die if you find a way to let it keep warming your soul.

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Helping is helpful

If it’s free and it works you might as well take it.

I’ve been employing interns since I opened a studio space. I haven’t gone looking for them but every few weeks I will get a recent graduate or high school student asking to hang out and learn something.

Invariably I learn something from them or I learn something from having to teach what I know. Amazing how knowledge grows and expands as you pass it on to others.

One of the projects I like to give most interns involves a bit of self reflection and forces them to think about three key aspects of there life.

Who they are and where they are from
What they are good at
What they would like to see change in the world

It’s usually an illustration task but I always enjoy giving it to interns and I especially like hearing their responses. the process doesn’t take much time but as we talk about the work they create as a response to these prompts my understanding of these 3 aspects in my own life and work become more clear to me.

I don’t know how or why it works on a neurological level, but what I’ve experienced in mentoring is that it never fails to cause growth in my own understanding and practice.

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The Mural Process

Designing the space

I like to get a really good idea of the space before I start. Often a photograph is enough but when I can I take the taime to visit the space or wall to get afeel for it. Lighting, interior design, colours and the general look and feel of the space or all important considerations bfore getting started.

Devloping a mural theme or idea

This is all about the busienss or organisation. Often I’m asked to do whatever I like, but even if I’m offered carte blanche, understanding who is going to be using the space and why needs to inform the process of developing a theme or idea for the wall.

Personally I am really interested in identity. I love people so I often try to use a portrait where I can. I have a fairly flexible style and often try to convey a dreamlike or surreal atmosphere to the work

Create a draft of the wall art

Unless there is a time constraint I usually create a draft concept for the client. Depending on the various requirements this can take the form of a quick sketch but more often I compose a colour image in photoshop and try and place it on a photograph of the space. This helps give the client confidence in the work and also helps int he next process.

Using quality exterior or interior mural materials

Depending on the outcome I will use either spray enamel or acrylic brushwork. For acrylic I use dulux or british paints exterior or interior low sheen paints. For enamel I use mtn 94. There are a lot of great brands out there but these are the ones I find work the best, give the widest colour range, sit best on the wall, and last the longest.

Street art – Applying the artwork to the surface

If I haven’t created a draft work for the project I will simply freestyle the artwork onto the wall. This is a lot of fun, and with ove 20 years doing this I comes naturally. I don’t even mind an audience! If the project is more specific and I am working to a detailed design concept there are a number of ways to approach it. The thing most people are interested in or struggle to understadn is how to retain the proportions.

Believe it or not working on a larger scale is actually easier for this. There are several techniques that can be used to maintain the integrity of the compostions.

Gridding is a popular technique in which a grid is layered over the artwork and then transposed to the wall. The small squares create a map or guildeline for line placement.

Projecting is another technique that comes in very hand – especially if the concept is elaborate. Using an espson projector enables me to simply trace the outline of the concept onto the wall.

I use those techniques if the artwork is complex, but most often I will simply paint straight on the wall using freehand techniques. I find that but creating large shapes first and then scaling down to smaller shpes this process is the fastest.

That’s the simple process of painting murals I use. If you are looking to try it out for your self feel free to contact me. As well as painting murals directly I have had a lot of opportunities to run mural workshops and love teaching the basics to poeple who are keen to have a go.

 

Check out the mural folio here

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Fear bloats.

Fear makes us want to horde and consume. It bloats us.

We are adverse to risk, so our brains fire up when we challenge our assumptions. This morning I was updating my website and I was afraid reducing the number of images in my folio from 20 to 10 would cut my audience in half. Resulting in less clients and less money.

My response to the fear of lack was to try and to connect with everyone instead of a particular someone. By having 20 images that are diverse, I can appeal to a larger market.

But reduction actually does the opposite. It forces us to hold on to only what is truly precious to us increasing the chance that we will connect with someone else who finds it precious too.

This increases the potential for connection by:

  • Setting a higher standard of quality
  • Removing the lower standard of quality
  • Increasing alignment with your values
  • Increasing alignment with potential client values

I’m willing to bet that my next mural projects for this year will be much more aligned with the kind of art I like to make.

Because reduction is a form of focus.

 

 

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Get paid upfront.

Newbies often turn white at this suggestion.

They seem to assume that it’s too bold or direct to ask for a deposit from a client. What’s obvious to me is that this is a sign of inexperience.

In 5 years of running my own design and illustration business I have only once been challenged on my 50% deposit terms. Over 300 clients have automatically assumed this is fair.

Of course it’s fair. And any client who assumed it wasn’t is the kind of client you should run from as fast as you can. The deposit secures the work and clients know this. It puts them on the board and in the queue. Until a deposit is paid the project is only an idea. The project requires investment to commence.

An investment that always pays off. No business would survive if it didn’t follow through with its service offering. It is always in the best interest of the business to deliver on what it what’s been promised.

A few points to note:

  1. Starting out I only charged 25% deposit, simply due to lack of confidence. I bumped this up after the first time a client let me down by deciding not to go through with the project after I had invested a significant amount of time in it.
  2. For print jobs or situation in which I have to spend money on behalf of a client I expect 100% up front. Again, this has never been question by a client.
  3. It’s not unreasonable to ask for full payment from the start. I don’t do this because I find the 50% payment structure helps stagger cash flow better and it’s a nice reward at the end of a project to send an invoice

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Never work for exposure.

Exposure can leave you vulnerable to the elements.

Before you’ve started you have already played yourself. You’ve set the value standard for your work and the biggest exposure you receive is your price tag, people love to talk about a bargain. But you don’t want to build a business on bargain prices. Well I don’t anyway.

But there is something in the idea that you can take and use for your advantage. I think if you are setting the terms and rules of engagement then pro bono work ‘for exposure’ can work. But you have to be careful you are in control.

The reason people can capitalise on the ‘exposure’ offer is because they understand that you love what you do. The rationale is that you should then be prepared to do it for free. This puts the power in the hands of the organisation commissioning the work.

Take the power back. If you love doing what you do, and money isn’t the motivation, then you have all the power. You can then use this power to selectively distribute you efforts and talents in meaningful ways that directly correspond to the kind of exposure you want to receive.

For example. One of my clients is a popular local charity that are really good with social media. They respect my time and service and pay for it. However from time to time I will provide pro bono work because it’s a win win situation. I have a clear understanding of what defines a win for me. It’s this:

The work is directed entirely by my, I don’t compromise on style or colour. I do what I want and how I want it.
The work is making a contribution to a cause I am passionate about and see the first hand results of in my local community
The work is presented and distributed broadly to my demographic in a way that compliments my brand.

These three points help me decide when and with who I choose to initiate a pro bono project. By retaining power over these areas this becomes a strategic form of marketing in which I have seen direct results.

If the exposure leaves you vulnerable change the relationship dynamic so it’s to your advantage.

Never work for exposure, but feel free to work with passion and engage your preferred clients.