Glug- How to use your noodle to stop eating pot noodle

Today I attended my first Glug event which took place at University. Glug consists of several creative professionals coming in to talk about their career, how they made it in the design world and tips for young creatives or anyone looking to start a creative career.

I found the overall evening useful as it reminded me of things that I need to know as a designer in terms making a career out of my passion, it was also useful to see how different creatives approached the creative world in their own way to suit them and their design practice.

A lot of the things mentioned by the creatives I already knew but it was good to be reminded of some things, especially moving into third year and getting close to graduating.

Notes from Glug event:

Hashtag of the event: #passion2paychecks

The Glug rules:

1. Booze=good

2. Celebrate the new

3. Notworking is fun

4. Something will fuck up

1. Bobbi Rae- @bearcubs

Illustrator, designer, artist

• When working with someone else, you need to compromise with ideas and be open
• Client rate should go off cost of materials and how much time you have spent
• Your time as a designer is worth a lot
• Putting contracts in place when working for a client is very important in terms of getting paid and whether your work is used and credited
• Contracts can be a super simple document

It was great to see actually see Bobbi talk about her design practice as I was already following her on Instagram before the event as I love her work:

2. Steve Clarkson- Found Fiction

Creative writer

• Started leaving their stories in envelopes everywhere out and about, eventually the stories started getting reposted and more people wanted to submit their stories to Found Fiction. 
• Found Fiction eventually became worldwide- just by these envelopes! 
• Later on they received funding from Leeds Inspired which they used to put on more events and get themselves out there as much as possible

Found Fiction website homepage

3. Martin Farrar-Smith- @eighty_ten

Designer, copywriter, brand strategy 

• The worlds first global small agency (eighty_ten)
• Building brands that change the world (Samsung, WWF, Brewdog and craft beer)
• What he's learnt over the past 15 years: find a hero, don't be a dickhead, trust your fucking gut, get second opinions, working from home is great but it's not for everyone, make it personal but don't take it personally when you get critiqued, get writing and social media is a tool not a weapon.
• Make time for yourself and keep inspired
• Useful design resources: 99u (which I already love), Brand new, BP&O, Site Inspire, Forge- a medium publiction

4. Jordan Yates- @jygraphicdesign

Designer, illustrator, animator

Expectations vs Reality...

1. Creativity

Expectations: Creativity just happens

Reality: It brews and takes time

2. Burnout

Expectations: it's fine to burnout, it's okay

Reality: It's shit, sometimes you just need to take a break and do something else, go for a walk, make some food, see a friend!

3. Confidence

Expectations: You feel amazing and better than everyone else

Reality: We as creatives need to support each other

• Don't follow other peoples expectations, follow your own reality