The Collaborative Mix

Reflecting on Classic Models for Graphic Design Working

This week’s lecture included three unique interviews and discussions:

• Part 1: ‘Design to Change the World’ at the global design Forum, London Design Festival 2018. Chaired by Susanna Edwards.

• Part 2: ‘Graphics That Engage’ at the global design Forum, London Design Festival 2018. Chaired by Susanna Edwards.

• Part 3: Havana Club 3 and Jamieson Ltd Edition: collaborative projects by Pearl Fisher London

A CONVERSATION WITH OFFSHORE STUDIO’S CHRISTOPH MILLER AND MORAG MYERSCOUGH FROM MYERSCOUGH STUDIO

Make happy all those who are near and those that are far will come”
— Morag Myerscough

I found the conversation between Susanna Edwards, Morag Myerscough, and Christoph Miller from Offshort Studio to be the most enlightening of this week’s lecture. As a creative director for the University of San Francisco (USF), I lead a team of creatives that work on a wide array of projects throughout the year. This work is designed to attract prospective students, retain current students, and engage our alumni. We produce two different magazines: one for the entire USF community including our alumni and one for the School of Law which is more narrowly focussed solely on the law school community including alumni.

The big lightbulb moment for me in this week’s lecture was hearing from Christoph Miller’s approach to setting up the Migrant Journal periodical. He said their desire was to create a truly collaborative endeavor: one wherein writers, designers, editors, and contributors whole the entire process together. They collaborate from the very beginning to determine not only the content and creative direction, but the way these parts come together. For our process on our magazines at USF, we collaborate when it’s time to do so, but design and content development act more like relay runners than dance partners. This was a very illuminating experience for me. I’ve since approached our editor to suggest that we rethink our process so that design and editorial are thoroughly engaged for the entire development of each issue. She is all in on this which is very exciting. Stay tuned!

REFERENCE:

Carter, M., Mandani, S. (2016) ‘Tune out, dive deep, read on’, [online] Eye Magazine, Summer. Available at: http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/tune-out-dive-deep-read-on (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 29 March 2019]

It's Nice That, Danielle Pender (2019) Nicer Tuesdays: Riposte magazine, [online video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOWyVOy7JwMM (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 4 June 2019]

Penny Stamps Lecture Series, MoragMyerscough(2018) Belonging, [online video]. Available at: Morag Myerscough: Belonging (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 11 June 2019]

It's Nice That, AnnaLomax and Jess Bonham (2016). Nicer Tuesdays,[online video]. Available at: Nicer Tuesdays: Anna Lomax and Jess Bonham (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 11 June 2019]

It's Nice That, Liv Siddall(2016) Nicer Tuesdays: Rough Trade magazine, [online video]. Available at: Nicer Tuesdays: Liv Siddall (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 11 June 2019]

BBC News (2019), ‘Photographer Trevor Keys album sleeves go on show’[online]. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-41331715 (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 11 June 2019]

Hari Peccinotti, https://showstudio.com/contributors/harri_peccinotti (Links to an external site.)

O'Brien, K. (2019) ‘Director Tony Kaye happy to be working and out of “Hollywood jail”’, [online] The Drum, 17 April.Available at: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/04/17/director-tony-kaye-happy-be-working-and-out-hollywood-jail (Links to an external site.). [Accessed 4 June 2019]

DesignBoom (2019) Interview with graphic designer Vaughan Oliver,[online]. Available at: https://www.designboom.com/design/interview-with-graphic-designer-vaughan-oliver-12-19-2014/ (Links to an external site.).[Accessed 4 June 2019]

Falmouth University (2020). The Collaborative Mix | Reflecting on Classic Models for Graphic Design Working | Lecture. Studio and Entrepreneurship GDE730 20/21 Part-Time Study Block S2 (Falmouth, UK: Falmouth University)