This week we have a feature blog entry for you, to highlight our wonderful creative designers. We are kicking off this month’s feature with Chris, who has answered some questions about his life in the studio.
Now, as you may have noticed, we have been blogging a lot about direct marketing, so we wanted to come at it from a different angle and showcase some information about the design aspect of our services
Chris Graham: Creative Designer
What does being a creative designer at XIC involve?
We do a lot of work for the oil and gas industry and about half of my time is spent on design and the rest is a mix of pitch work, day-to-day artworking and internal marketing for XIC.
What is a typical working day like?
I get in at around 8.15, check over emails and see what jobs I’ve got coming in for the day followed closely by a big mug of coffee to wake me up. We usually have projects flowing on from the day before so these can be actioned before any new jobs are started. Lunchtime is a good opportunity to get away from the screen and have a quick bite to eat to fuel the think tank. Then I’m back on the mac until about 5.30.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s satisfying when you see campaigns you’ve worked on out in the real world or even when it’s some printed material that has been finished and ready for dispatch. It’s great to receive feedback from clients that appreciate the quality of a finished piece, it makes all the effort worth while.
What frustrates you?
When, for whatever reason, a good idea doesn’t see the light of day.
What are the biggest challenges?
On a workflow level, it’s always a challenge to deal with the sheer volume of information coming through and always striving to come up with a comprehensive design to match a clients brief. It’s important to prioritise tasks and projects as they become urgent, ensuring you dedicate enough time for the creative, which isn’t always easy to quantify into regular time slots.
What inspires you?
It’s important to be able to look at your work and know you’ve given 100% and see progress from what you’ve produced from month to month. I find a lot of inspiration from picking up flyers, books, brochures and skimming through magazines. I’ve recently taken up photography which is a great way of getting out the house and building up an image library to utilise on future projects. I find keeping the mind active is boosted by keeping the body active, which is why I frequently go to the gym and partake in other sporting activities. These are also a great way to relieve the stresses of everyday work.
