INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS LAWSON

So you went to Leeds College of Art, what made you choose it?

Before the degree course, I did 2 years of a National Diploma at LCA. I got a taster of the facilities that were on offer, and I really felt at home there having lived in Leeds my whole life. It seemed a natural stepping stone to pursue the degree course after seeing the quality of work the third years were producing.

What made you decide to pursue graphic design in the first place?

I remember being on holiday in Benidorm, no older than 10 or 11, and seeing signage with icons detailing the do and don'ts around the pool. Under this were multiple different translations to go with these icons, but I never felt these were necessary. It clicked with me that day that graphic design is a universal language, and can communicate the same idea to people no matter where they're from. I think that was the spark that set me off. I kept on finding visual problems that needed solving, and I've grown to love figuring out these kind of problems over the years.

On top of this, I didn't want to land myself in a soul destroying office job—no matter how much I would earn doing that. I wanted to do something that I loved, that helped people, and that I could be proud of.

What was the best part of the course, and what do you think was most important?

For me, it's the facilities that are on offer, and the great feedback that you get from both tutors and fellow students. I miss those days where you had an idea and could test the waters with it in the form of crits. It refocused you and set you up for the next week. You really knew what you had to do after that.

I think if I were to repeat the course, I'd make more of a conscious effort to set goals every week to get things ready for each crit. They were that valuable. Instead, I was guilty of approaching it with a here's my progress so far mindset, and never really taking full advantage.

The facilities allow you to really explore and be ambitious with your work. There's no limitations, not really. I'm not saying that you can't experiment with ideas after graduation, but university is the best time to explore and find things that really resonate with you.

Other than the course what do you think is the best way to prepare yourself for industry?

I think experience is the best way. You can read every book and listen to every piece of advice, but it never really sticks unless you're actively part of it. You make mistakes, which is great. You really learn when you make mistakes, and that's the best way to grow as a designer.

When you left uni what was your next step?

In my head, my next step was to move down to the Big Smoke and live the designer's dream. London is saturated with design work and I'm sure the experience is invaluable, but I came to realise that it wasn't a necessity for me. Instead, I stayed in Leeds. I did a few placements, picked up a bit of freelance work and finally landed a full-time design job. It may have been easier to find work in London, but it worked out in the end. I think it's important to just follow your own path.

What would you say the best way to get clients is?

I think if you take pride in your work, are enthusiastic and respect other people, you can't go far wrong. Word of mouth can get around quickly, both positive and negative. Use that to your advantage. I think it was Steve Martin that said 'be so good they can't ignore you'. Strive to improve your skills every day, network often, and be honest and transparent.

Think about the kind of clients that you would like to work with after Uni, and use the rest of your time on the course to produce work that is catered to these clients. I know this sounds obvious, but this way you can graduate with a portfolio that will have the biggest impact on who you want to work with.

Of the work you have done, whats are you most proud of?

Honestly, I don't really have 1 piece that I look to and think 'that's my best work'. Hans Zimmer has an interesting outlook—he feels like his best work is yet to come. It keeps him driven to composing more music and improving every day; he strives to make each piece better than the last. I see my design practice the same way. I'm always proud when I do good work, but I try and move on from that as soon as possible and focus on the next project.

I've found that the work that I am most proud of are the things I do for friends and family to help them out. Most of it isn't anything too groundbreaking, but their reaction to what I produce is always worth it to me.

For example, I recently helped a mate out with an order of service for his Grandma's funeral. What I produced wasn't anything revolutionary, and I'd go as far as saying that it could probably be replicated in Microsoft Word, but I was happy that I could help him out at a difficult time. And he was pleased with the results, which is what it's all about.

With that being said, make sure you don't get taken advantage of if you do free work to help someone out. If they respect your time, and know how valuable it is, then you should be okay to work with them.

How do you work best?

Modern life is oversaturated with screens of some kind. Phones, computers, TVs. Even advertising boards are digitised these days, and it's hard to escape it. I try and get away from all that as much as I can in my work. I dedicate an hour or two and just sketch out ideas on good old pencil and paper. This is good for two reasons: it allows me to explore ideas without the limitations of software, and it gives me a well needed break from the digital age.

I try and think of a solid idea first, then think to myself: 'how am I going to make this into a final piece?' If you start by 'sketching out' ideas on a computer, then you're limited and influenced by the tools that you know. Sketching on paper frees up all of that.

How does design differ when you are working professionally?

It is more catered towards the client, and sometimes that means making design decisions that you wouldn't personally make. Don't be a pushover; voice your opinion on why a certain thing may not work in a polite and professional way, but if they are adamant then you need to just get it done for them. At the end of the day, if the client is happy, then you've done your job.

what are your tips to being a freelance designer?

Now, the majority of my career so far has been spent as an in-house designer, but I can advise on my experience with work on the side. Some of this can be carried over to employed work too.

Under promise, over deliver. If you think you can get something done in 24 hours, say you'll have it for them in 48. Never promise anything you're not confident you can do, and if you're not sure on something, tell them you'll get back to them.

Separate work time and down time. This can be difficult when you're starting out because you may feel the need to work constantly to keep up with competition and please clients. The major problem with this is you risk burning yourself out. Schedule time to see friends, watch a movie, read a book—whatever floats your boat. It allows you to recharge.

Try and take advantage of the time that you work best in. Whether you're an early riser or a night owl, the beauty of freelance work is that you work on your schedule. Find a time that you do your best creative work and aim to get the bulk of your day's work done in this time. Your least creative times can be used to do paperwork and respond to emails, that sort of thing.

My last point would be to get industry experience. Working on real projects with real clients to real deadlines really helps you grow as a designer. Really push yourself to find work experience between the second and third year. This is something I didn't do, and it's my greatest regret while I was at uni. The experience and knowledge gained will be invaluable going into the third year. I did do placements after Uni, and I lost count of the amount of times I thought 'this would have been great to know while I was still a student'.Start out by finding the kind of design agencies that are doing the work that you want to be doing, and send them an email introducing yourself. Keep it short, but tailored towards that company. Pick out a piece of work that resonates with you in particular, and explain why you like it.

If you speak to John, he's always got ideas on how to stand out from the crowd in that way. I was inspired by him to send out some posters that I'd done for my end of year show, and I managed to get two placements that way. You may have to invest a little money into creating something unique, but it will be more than worth it to elevate you above a standard email message.

In terms of getting experience, whats the best way to find the opportunities? Is it just by talking to people and getting a foot in that way?

I think it's also important to communicate what you can offer them too, rather than it just be a one way street on their end. Having a student in for work experience can disrupt the flow of an agency for a week or so—tell them what they have to gain by taking you on as a temporary placement, what value you can give them, and make it a win-win for both you and them. Maybe you could talk about what you excel in, play to your strengths, and why you would be a perfect fit for their company. This is something that I think I could have improved on when looking for work experience.

I think the most important thing is to be patient and polite, and I would avoid calling them. Email, or physical mail, can be viewed at their leisure, whereas I feel a phonecall is a bit abrupt, and you're not as likely to get a good response in my opinion.