Giles' Digital Diary

Giles Collins from Mullion School:

I chose to do my work experience at Gendall Design because it’s the sort of thing that interests me and (without sounding like a stereotypical 15 year old nerd) I will happily do anything that involves a computer. The type of work that I was doing, web designing using Photoshop and HTML/CSS/JS, really intrigued me; and I think now that I have learned the basic skills it is definitely going to be something I continue to research and work on. My mind had previously been set on becoming a games designer and. although I'm still pretty certain I want to do that, this experience here has shown me how interesting web design is and I'm now considering taking a course to develop my skills and maybe, eventually, find a job at a great place like Gendall; (the game development still comes first though, sorry).

I had expected to be working independently and I had figured that everyone I was going to be working with would be super strict and pushy but the people that work at Gendall were all amazing and cool and really kind. I think it was this that made my time here go by so quick, they always helped me whenever I asked.

On the job I learned about how HTML, CSS, and JS work, I have learned all the basics; adding headers and paragraphs to a webpage using HTML and styling it all using CSS, using unordered and ordered lists, using classes and ids, and presenting it all by orienting and swapping  properties of entities. I can also manipulate a webpage using inspect element and make it say or do what I want it to (with a little trial and error) and change pictures, text and colours. My main assignment was to create an iPhone application for a big retailer and present it in a responsive website, for the iPhone app itself I used a template and Photoshop to edit the assets and change things to make it suitable for the client, I added the transitions and animations for this using Marvel Prototypes and put the embedded the app prototypes into the website I created using the embed option on the Marvel website.

So in conclusion I feel I've learned loads of useful skills that would be extremely helpful in my future if I pursue a career in web design, and I will take any opportunity to come back and see these amazing people, thanks for having me, I love you guys! 

We're Hiring

We are  looking for a self motivated, creative and strategic thinking Senior Designer to work with our team in Falmouth, Cornwall.

Brief role description

You will combine creativity with strategic thinking to deliver inspiring, engaging and effective print and digital design solutions across a wide range of integrated communications, for national and international brands.

What we need:

We are currently looking for a Senior Designer who understands a brand, and displays a craft and attention to detail to their work. You are able to apply your designs to all communications from the digital environment (website/mobile) to print and interpretation.

What you get:

To work on regional, national and international brands as part of a small but skilled creative team. Our clients vary from bespoke start-ups to recognised brands, clients include the National Trust, Eden Project, NHS, and The Duchy of Cornwall.

If you are considering moving to Cornwall you’ll need to understand this is not a retirement role, it’s a lifestyle change. However the work pace is as demanding as you would expect in the city.

To find out more or apply click here

Join Our Team

We are  looking for a self motivated, creative and enthusiastic Senior Digital Web Developer to work with our team in Falmouth, Cornwall. 

What we need:

You will be skilled in LAMP development and have a passion for upcoming web technologies. You will have proven HTML, PHP, CSS and Javascript experience, as well as excellent technical skills, with an eye for design and detail.

What you get:

To work on regional, national and international brands as part of a small but skilled creative team. Our clients vary from bespoke start-ups to recognised brands, clients include the National Trust, Eden Project, NHS, and The Duchy of Cornwall.

Our waterside studio is in Falmouth, one of Cornwall’s most eclectic destinations – a buzzing university town which boasts beaches, galleries and independent shops with a year round atmosphere. The studio is truly inspiring – you can see the sea from the window and go to the beach for lunch. Our team are a group of talented designers, developers and account handlers and we work sensible hours to ensure a good work / life balance.

If you are considering moving to Cornwall you’ll need to understand this is not a retirement role, it’s a lifestyle change. However the work pace is as demanding as you would expect in the city.

To find out more or apply click here

Flushing away poverty

We have just twinned our toilet!

Toilet Twinning has been running since 2008 and raised more than £2.3 million, twinning about 35,000 toilets in more than 40 countries. It provides people in the poorest communities with a decent toilet, clean water and all the information they need to stay healthy.

There are a number of contributions you can make by either twinning your toilet with an individual toilet or a school block. The donation is used by Tearfund to provide clean water, basic sanitation and hygiene education.

In return, our toilet now houses a personalised certificate, complete with a colour photo of its twin and GPS coordinates so we can keep an eye on it via Google Maps (Lattitude: 11.19123000, Longitude: 105.64234000, Beong RaiChoeng, Cambodia, Latrine No.5140).

For more information on how to twin your toilet visit www.toilettwinning.org

Starting out....

Our newest recruit, James Howe, takes us on a journey of starting out in the digital world...

Pressure, an overwhelming feeling of pressure!  Third year of University has come to an end and all eyes are focused on you. It’s been a turbulent run, and you’re not sure whether at the age of 23 you should be feeling quite so uneasy as to what lies ahead. “What’s next?” they all ask, ‘they’ being family, friends, neighbours, and friends of neighbours whose family show an unhealthy amount of interest in your chosen career path. Why wouldn’t they all be intrigued? Surely it’s big news, huge in fact, you’ve just got yourself a degree in Digital Media.

*silence*

It becomes all too clear that you’re on your own. Advice is scarce, opinions differ and the man from careers guidance suggests you do a summer course in CV writing. Not exactly the end goal you were aiming for way back when you were labouring over a lengthy UCAS form. But you compose yourself, strap in for the long haul of uncertainty and start putting the feelers out.

HTML, CSS, Javascript; this is your mantra, rinse and repeat.

Application after application, they all begin to blur into one with a glaringly common requirement: EXPERIENCE.

And so you try a different approach, the Internship.

Unfortunately it seems yet again you may be out of your depth. Enquiries go unanswered and the ones that reply do so commending enthusiasm but doubting skill level. It’s hard not to start doubting your own worth at that point. Reminded year after year that the course you have partaken on is self-taught/directed; you are bound to having courage in your convictions and continuously hoping that you’re heading down the right path.

But all it takes is for one opportunity along that path to fit better than most. For me that was finding Gendall Design. Understanding of my current skillset, and empathising with my want to learn, they kindly allowed me a place within their team. I am aware of my limits, but don’t wish to stay limited. Here at Gendall the environment allows you to flourish under a nurturing eye, and day-by-day that skillset grows:

PHP, SCSS, responsive design; the new mantra, rinse and repeat.

On the look out for a talented individual to join our team...

What we need:

We are currently looking for a Middleweight to Senior Designer who is just as much at home designing for the web as they are designing for print. You'll understand how to bring a brand to life and effectively tell it's story through all communications from the digital environment (website/mobile) to print and interpretation.

The ideal candidate will be a conceptual and strategic thinker, driven by ideas and effective user solutions, not style. With the kind of creative empathy that allows you to get to the heart of complex branding challenge, but commercially savvy enough to understand the importance of working to a budget.

For this role you will have at least four years studio experience, displaying the expertise and confidence to take a project from a blank sheet to delivery via multiple channels working as part of the team. You’ll engage well with clients and colleagues alike and have a genuine passion for design.

What you get:

To work on regional, national and international brands as part of a small but skilled creative team. Our clients vary from bespoke start-ups to recognised brands, clients include the National Trust, Eden Project, NHS, and The Duchy of Cornwall.

Our waterside studio is in Falmouth, one of Cornwall’s most eclectic destinations – a buzzing university town which boasts beaches, galleries and independent shops with a year round atmosphere. The studio is truly inspiring – you can see the sea from the window and go to the beach for lunch. Our team are a group of talented designers, developers and account handlers and we work sensible hours to ensure a good work / life balance.

If you are considering moving to Cornwall you’ll need to understand this is not a retirement role, it’s a lifestyle change. However the work pace is as demanding as you would expect in the city.

To find out more and how to apply click here.

Challenging the norm

Always on the look out for things to inspire us, we were very excited to come across The Challenger's Almanac, a Kickstarter funded project which is a set of ‘curated stories and wisdom written by people who aren't afraid to break the rules’. 

In essence, it looks at companies who have challenged the norm and doing business their own way. Introducing you to the people behind the brand, you find out how each business was realised, warts and all and what makes them tick. Challenger brands have strong values and ethos, and the success of the examples given show that it is possible to make money as well as create a social impact.

Apart from being beautifully designed, it fully loads you up with food for thought. Some of our favourite extracts from it include:

“The work you do when you’re procrastinating is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life”, Jessica Hische

“The life you want doesn’t exist. You have to make it up”, James Victore

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”, Neale Donald Walsh

A great read, definitely recommended. Also nice to see a few local businesses being featured such as Finisterre, NaturePaint and Stranger Collective.

The beautiful art of paper cutting...

The design and craft world has for some time now been understandably obsessed with the beautiful art of paper cutting, including one of our designers, Emily, so we thought we would peek into the paper cutters world and ask her about her passion for paper, her desire for popping out paper creations in her free time and some of the paper artists that inspire her.

Emily:

"I started making paper cuts a few years ago by designing and making one as a present for my former design manager who got married in Vegas. I've always been hands on, crafty and keen to create pretty things, but that first one really gave me the bug. I've been making them for friends and family as presents and as commissions ever since, I even have a shop on Etsy."

"The reason I love paper so much as a medium is because it is such a simple material, in abundance in our everyday lives, but it can be manipulated and given a different purpose in life so easily. It has the potential to become whatever you want it to be. 

I admit the process of paper cutting is painstakingly slow and at times frustrating (especially when you slip with the knife, cut off a piece intrinsic to the design and have to start again), but the end result is totally worth it. I love seeing an image slowly appearing out of the blank sheet of paper, cut by cut, holding it up every now and then as I go to see how the light and the shadows work with it. I find it quite therapeutic and I feel a great sense of achievement when it's finished.

Because of the growing importance of digital within modern society, some people believe paper is a dying art form, but there has been a resurgence in the last few years with artists exploring this tactile medium more and more in different ways. There is something really special about seeing a paper cut, knowing that so much time and effort would have gone into it and there are so many incredibly talented paper artists out there, here are some of my favourites..."

The talented Brittney Lee creates beautiful fantasy paper illustrations with the use of various paper techniques including paper cutting, quilling and layering to add more depth.

Julene Harrison's paper cuts are elegant typographic designs often mixed with foliage and natural patterns and have caught the eye of big clients from publishers to advertising.

You will have probably seen some of Kate Forrester's paper cut illustrations on passing McDonalds trucks over the last few months. Working with advertising agency Leo Burnett her designs form whimsical, surreal, paper landscapes that reinforce the brands ethical ACB campaign.

You can check out more of their lovely work here:

britsketch.blogspot.co.uk

madebyjulene.com

kateforrester.co.uk

(and Emily's Etsy shop) etsy.com/shop/ThePapercutParade

Simple packaging that goes back to Simply Cornish's roots

Inspired by refreshing beach culture, from deck chairs to beach huts, we have created a new look for Simply Cornish's biscuit range. Living up to the name, it's a simple packaging solution that represents Simply Cornish's values of simple, honest and hearty ingredients. We have unified the range and given it a more recognisable shelf presence.

The Simply Cornish range are handmade by Cornwall's oldest bakery whose Master Bakers have been crafting biscuits for over 150 years using original recipes handed down through generations and local ingredients. 

Nationally, it is currently being stocked in Waitrose and will be rolled out across a number of other retail outlets over the next few months.

The range has already been rolled out regionally being stocked in outlets such as Nisa and Spar. 

We are looking to grow our team...

We are currently looking for the following role;

Web Developer

We are  looking for a creative and enthusiastic digital developer to join our web team. You will be skilled in LAMP development and have a passion for upcoming web technologies. You will have proven HTML, PHP, CSS and Javascript experience, as well as excellent technical skills, with an eye for design and detail.

For further details please download the relevant  job description below.

To apply please email an up-to-date CV and examples of your work to studio@gendall.co.uk

Web Developer

Job description

Bringing stories to life

We have been lucky enough to work on a number of National Trust projects over the last six months. Following on from Glendurgan, this month saw the launch of Harry's Story at Stourhead, one of the National Trust's flagship properties. We immersed ourselves in the property's history, creating a visual identity and interpretation that aims to connect with audiences, igniting their imagination and bringing the story to life.

Harry's story is a great tale that encompasses a key point of British history and spirit. It emulates a real sense of mind over matter (accomplishment), supported by the importance of strength of family (love and devotion).

We wanted to bring out these characteristics through the interpretation. For example, visitors will be greeted by a giant, beautifully crafted wooden book to start their journey, followed by top hats, pencil shaped shelves and walls of memories to name but a few. A big thanks to the team at The Grain for brining some of our ideas to reality.

Click here to find out more about Stourhead and explore Harry's story.

An engaging garden trail...

We were delighted when we were asked to re-design the visitor maps for Glendurgan Garden, using the visual identity style we created for them last year.

The maps are pocket sized - one for families and one for the older visitor audience and include bite sized information, highlights to discover, as well as an illustrated map. These are also seasonally themed, so do look out for the summer versions which will be out soon!

Tell me more about Glendurgan Garden

Talent spotting...

The Falmouth University Summer Festival degree show is now open to the public and includes work from graphic design, fashion design, performance sportswear design, 3D design, contemporary cratfs, interior design, textiles, fine art, illustration & photography graduates.

As you can imagine it's packed with projects to see and we want to share some of our highlights here:

 

Harriet Stansall

 

Hannah Tolson

 

Liz Tregaskis

 

Abby Cook

 

Katt Frank 

 

Julia White

Sam Houston

 

(above right) Harry King

 

Beth O'Reilly

Jade Groody

Emma Moles

Joe Hockney

 

Tricia Millard

Sam Barker

Matt Travis

(Wax books on the first image: Rose Abram)

Please get in touch if we've featured your work and you'd like a link to you site underneath it.

For more information on the shows, times etc visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/events

Friday Favourites...

From coffee houses to Nashville folk - this Friday's Favourites showcases a handful of inspiring mobile optimised websites. Take a look for yourself, on a mobile of course...

01. andy-wolf.at/onelove
02. heathlife.co.uk
03. foodsense.is
04. m.cariboucoffee.com
05. morehazards.com
06. m.madebymode.com/mobile
07. prologuelifestyle.com
08. welovenoise.com
09. storyhotels.com/m/

Fresshh new branding…

We are keen to share the results of our latest packaging project photographed by the talented Matt Jessop.

Fresshh is a the brand aimed at the discerning foodies who appreciate meals that have been created by a chef not a factory. Greg Laskey has established himself as one of Cornwall’s finest chefs – creating excellent food that is sourced from the freshest seasonal produce. He has revealed his secret (hence the 'ssh in Fresshh!) recipes to create superb ready meals that are blast frozen for your convenience (think Heston Bluemental).

Follow them @fresshhcornwall and to view more of Matt's work visit: www.mattjessop.com