Source of the following information: Employment Figures
The number of creative jobs in the UK rose by 66,000 to an astonishing 2.62m in 2013 as the creative economy expanded quicker than any other sector. Data released by the Department for Culture Media & Sport recorded a 2.6% rise in the number of creative jobs - defined as jobs within creative industries as well as creative roles in other organisations - between 2012-2013.
It's interesting to know that the representation of women in creative industries has increased from 27% in 2009 to 36% in 2012, though representation of POC (people of colour) has declined since the last census, with almost 2,000 POC leaving the industries since 2009.
Freelancing is most prevalent, with 24% of the workforce working as freelance creatives.
Monday, 2 March 2015
Highs for the UK's creative industries
Source of the following information: Record Highs
The UK's creative industries (including IT, film, and music) were worth £76.9bn in 2013 according to the government. This was a 9.9% increase from the 2012 figure of £70bn. Its growth was 3 times larger than the wider UK economy. Also during 2013, the creative industries accounted for 5.6% of employment.
Despite this, areas such as museums, galleries, libraries, and publishing dropped during this time. In the US, the creative industries amounted to more than £460.4bn in 2012, which was roughly 4.3% of US goods and services.
This industry is perhaps one of the largest (in terms of profit) in the UK, and its buoyancy shows no sign of deflating.
The UK's creative industries (including IT, film, and music) were worth £76.9bn in 2013 according to the government. This was a 9.9% increase from the 2012 figure of £70bn. Its growth was 3 times larger than the wider UK economy. Also during 2013, the creative industries accounted for 5.6% of employment.
Despite this, areas such as museums, galleries, libraries, and publishing dropped during this time. In the US, the creative industries amounted to more than £460.4bn in 2012, which was roughly 4.3% of US goods and services.
This industry is perhaps one of the largest (in terms of profit) in the UK, and its buoyancy shows no sign of deflating.
Creative Industries; Now
It's no surprise that the creative industries in the UK are booming right now; especially with the sheer amount of students graduating from creative degrees, the market is becoming more and more diverse and more choice is opening up around consumers.
This forces artists into fierce competition with eachother; it's all about adapting to whatever trend is going on right there and then. It's all about knowing what other people are up to, about reinventing yourself every so often to bring something new to the market place.
It is, without a doubt, a golden age for artists - everything relies on visual stimulus and every person is influenced by what they see the most. Anything that doesn't look quite professional or up to scratch enough is deemed as unworthy, and will receive little custom - so, businesses and otherwise are relying on artists to create images for them that really speak to the public. Even other artists are relying on eachother, such as film relies on illustrators and graphic designers to create posters, storyboards, etc. Everything interlinks and, if you don't keep a great sense of self-awareness, you might find yourself lost in the fray.
This forces artists into fierce competition with eachother; it's all about adapting to whatever trend is going on right there and then. It's all about knowing what other people are up to, about reinventing yourself every so often to bring something new to the market place.
It is, without a doubt, a golden age for artists - everything relies on visual stimulus and every person is influenced by what they see the most. Anything that doesn't look quite professional or up to scratch enough is deemed as unworthy, and will receive little custom - so, businesses and otherwise are relying on artists to create images for them that really speak to the public. Even other artists are relying on eachother, such as film relies on illustrators and graphic designers to create posters, storyboards, etc. Everything interlinks and, if you don't keep a great sense of self-awareness, you might find yourself lost in the fray.
Freelance? Agencies?
It's a difficult decision to decide between remaining completely freelance or relying on an Agency to take away some of your workload - an agency will take work that doesn't necessarily need to be done by you - paperwork, advertising, etc. - and offer you more time to focus on other things.
Be careful you do not find yourself represented by an agency that doesn't fit you, however. During the visit from Dan Mumford and Drew Millward, a student asked the question "Have either of you been involved with agencies? If so, what were your experiences?" To which Dan answered that he had, but the agency he joined was useless as they didn't represent his style at all, and in two years he believes he received approximately three clients from that agency and the rest were of his own accord. Drew mentioned that he had applied for agency work before, but they had asked a 20% cut from all of his commissions, not just the ones they found for him.
Ultimately, the two said that it wasn't necessary - however, I feel personally that, if I am struggling, I will apply to an agency if only just to get my name out there.
Things every Creative needs to know
Source of the following information: Graduate Job Hunting
(A brief summary of what the website offered)
A lot of things can blindside creative graduates upon leaving university: the image of remaining penniless as a starving artist is actually quite daunting to any already non-established artist, and the temptation to do yet another degree in hopes of improving your chances is ever there; however, it's important to understand that there must come a time that you become independent and get a chance to spread your wings. This is not to say that you become a sterile professional - you have to remain part of yourself, offer a friendly face to customers instead of a clinical appearance.
All experience you earn is good experience, yes, but don't throw yourself at people begging for them to provide you with a chance; you can't earn nothing from your work forever, that has to change at some point and you do have to retain a little pride every now and again. That being said, don't remain too proud that you forget those who you went through education with; university is an awesome networking chance, and without a network as an artist you are basically nothing. Keep up with people and so allow yourself access to greater clientele - as selfish as that seems.
And finally, don't let the starving artist image haunt you too much - it's good to go out with realistic expectations, yes, but pessimism can douse your confidence and leave you unable to pitch your work to your target market.
(A brief summary of what the website offered)
A lot of things can blindside creative graduates upon leaving university: the image of remaining penniless as a starving artist is actually quite daunting to any already non-established artist, and the temptation to do yet another degree in hopes of improving your chances is ever there; however, it's important to understand that there must come a time that you become independent and get a chance to spread your wings. This is not to say that you become a sterile professional - you have to remain part of yourself, offer a friendly face to customers instead of a clinical appearance.
All experience you earn is good experience, yes, but don't throw yourself at people begging for them to provide you with a chance; you can't earn nothing from your work forever, that has to change at some point and you do have to retain a little pride every now and again. That being said, don't remain too proud that you forget those who you went through education with; university is an awesome networking chance, and without a network as an artist you are basically nothing. Keep up with people and so allow yourself access to greater clientele - as selfish as that seems.
And finally, don't let the starving artist image haunt you too much - it's good to go out with realistic expectations, yes, but pessimism can douse your confidence and leave you unable to pitch your work to your target market.
Life as a Designer (For a bigger company)
Source of Information: Job Offer
As an illustrator (or any kind of artist, really) I could start off as a junior designer for a company once I've finished my degree. Most large companies will need their own artists to create their image - to offer something out into the world that will strike a chord of recognition with those seeking for a particular service.
Through this, I would have a safe, steady source of income - no hanging around and guessing when my next payslip will come along. It is a much easier lifestyle yet one that offers not much freedom. I personally feel it would be quite soul crushing, as those in corporate areas already know how they want their image more or less, and just need someone with the skills the make it a real thing. To me, it seems a lot more clinical - I want to fall in love with my work, so this wouldn't be the path for me.
As an illustrator (or any kind of artist, really) I could start off as a junior designer for a company once I've finished my degree. Most large companies will need their own artists to create their image - to offer something out into the world that will strike a chord of recognition with those seeking for a particular service.
Through this, I would have a safe, steady source of income - no hanging around and guessing when my next payslip will come along. It is a much easier lifestyle yet one that offers not much freedom. I personally feel it would be quite soul crushing, as those in corporate areas already know how they want their image more or less, and just need someone with the skills the make it a real thing. To me, it seems a lot more clinical - I want to fall in love with my work, so this wouldn't be the path for me.
What future can my degree offer?
My illustration degree can open up a lot of doors for me - it's important for me to sit and really understand what kind of opportunities my degree can provide for me. Mostly, it opens the door to creative pathways, however the experience itself can provide a lot to offer.
Completely ignoring the actual subject of the degree, I can look at how my time spent on university can better represent me; any extra-curricular activities can showcase good qualities when looking for my career, even if in the end of it all I decide that being an artist isn't for me.
On the other hand, (the most likely case) I could become the illustrator I wanted to be when I started this course. What creative pathways are open for me as an illustrator? Would I like to live the life of an artist or am I just work for hire, with another income coming from a different source? It is detrimental to my future to sit on these questions before I set in stone what I will do with my degree.
Completely ignoring the actual subject of the degree, I can look at how my time spent on university can better represent me; any extra-curricular activities can showcase good qualities when looking for my career, even if in the end of it all I decide that being an artist isn't for me.
On the other hand, (the most likely case) I could become the illustrator I wanted to be when I started this course. What creative pathways are open for me as an illustrator? Would I like to live the life of an artist or am I just work for hire, with another income coming from a different source? It is detrimental to my future to sit on these questions before I set in stone what I will do with my degree.
Exhibition Facts and Figures
Source of the following information: Exhibition Industry Statistics
Since 2006, the UK has seen an increase of 13% in terms of exhibition venues that amount to more than 5000sqm in space. Globally, approximately 31,000 exhibitions are held per year, where 4.4 million exhibiting companies welcomed 260 million visitors. During 2011/12, an annual average of 1,147 exhibitions were organized by companies whose headquarters do not reside in the country that the exhibition was held.
From these figures, exhibitions of all kinds (not just artist exhibitions, but other sectors) are becoming more and more popular - they are being noticed for their value more often.
Since 2006, the UK has seen an increase of 13% in terms of exhibition venues that amount to more than 5000sqm in space. Globally, approximately 31,000 exhibitions are held per year, where 4.4 million exhibiting companies welcomed 260 million visitors. During 2011/12, an annual average of 1,147 exhibitions were organized by companies whose headquarters do not reside in the country that the exhibition was held.
From these figures, exhibitions of all kinds (not just artist exhibitions, but other sectors) are becoming more and more popular - they are being noticed for their value more often.
Exhibitions; an Overview
Exhibitions can take on many different formats; they can be permanent fixtures in galleries, annual fairs, even outside exhibitions (typically best for showcasing street art). They tend to be set out in terms of artistic category - generally, you wouldn't find the work of a fine artist in an illustration exhibition. You can have solo exhibitions, or group exhibitions - both are good for networking and finding new clients, as it is an opportunity to boast your work to people who otherwise may not have seen it.
Exhibitions also rely on your ability to plan out a space given to you; especially for solo exhibitions. It is within your task to set an atmosphere in the room.
The facts of Consumerism
Source for the Following information: Consumption: The Facts
Consumerism really applies specifically to world location - for example, the US and Canada hold only 5.2% of the worlds' population, yet are responsible for 31.5% of consumption; compare this to South Asia, which holds 22.4% of the population and manages to keep their consumerism down to 2% of the worlds' consumption. Typically, Western countries are big consumers - capitalism plays a big part of this.
The US spends more on consumption than it would take to achieve the UN's millennium development goals - and this is based solely on luxury items, not on those necessary to survive.
However, to market your work, it is important to not make the consumer feel bad; who would buy a work of art that made them feel guilt every time they looked at it?
Target Market (Reflections and Important Questions)
You need to ask yourself first; who does your work appeal to? Who is your market demographic? It would be no use to try and sell music to the deaf, so you must first figure out which consumer is the one that you must appeal to.You also have to bear in mind that you yourself may not fit into the demographic for which you are creating, which makes your job slightly harder. A good example would be, and it is fairly safe to say this, most children's books illustrators are not children themselves, but they need to research and understand how best to market to (in this case) not only children, but the parents who will buy the product.
It is important to study the outside influences within your target market - your ideal demographic does not live in an art-filled vacuum, and will be influenced by other sources. As an artist you need to keep both your eyes and your mind open - take influence from other places. What's trending on social media? What's happening worldwide that is triggering a response from your market? What are the music trends? Fashion? Film? What are they talking about that you can really sink your teeth into and pull out as subject matter within your art?
Discovering your target market can be a period of trial and error, but you really have to ask yourself a lot of questions and do a lot of research - keep on top of your game, time changes and this vocation really requires you to change with it.
It is important to study the outside influences within your target market - your ideal demographic does not live in an art-filled vacuum, and will be influenced by other sources. As an artist you need to keep both your eyes and your mind open - take influence from other places. What's trending on social media? What's happening worldwide that is triggering a response from your market? What are the music trends? Fashion? Film? What are they talking about that you can really sink your teeth into and pull out as subject matter within your art?
Discovering your target market can be a period of trial and error, but you really have to ask yourself a lot of questions and do a lot of research - keep on top of your game, time changes and this vocation really requires you to change with it.
The Consumer - an overview.
As an artist, who is most important to you is the consumer - they are the final user of your end product. To succeed, you need to create what they want - or at least make them believe that what you have to offer is what they really need.
Ultimately, it all boils down to how well you are able to market yourself to your potential consumers; these are the people who will provide you with your money at the end of it all.
Consumerism is a way of life that we currently find ourselves in; items of luxury are commonly bought, created, and advertised all over. Now, it is the challenge to convince people that they need what you have to offer - whether they really need it or not is irrelevant. As an artist, you are here to provide people with luxury things that nobody will ever really need, so it is also within your job description to market yourself to people who may already be aware of that fact.
Ultimately, it all boils down to how well you are able to market yourself to your potential consumers; these are the people who will provide you with your money at the end of it all.
Consumerism is a way of life that we currently find ourselves in; items of luxury are commonly bought, created, and advertised all over. Now, it is the challenge to convince people that they need what you have to offer - whether they really need it or not is irrelevant. As an artist, you are here to provide people with luxury things that nobody will ever really need, so it is also within your job description to market yourself to people who may already be aware of that fact.
Publishing Facts and Figures
Source of the following information: Publishing Facts and Figures
The publishing industry in the UK is estimated to provide 231,000 jobs in the creative economy in 2013 (a figure that is expected to have risen into 2015). The UK has the second most productive publishing industry in Europe, one of the largest in the world, and London is considered a world leading publishing centre.
The UK customer publishing industry is the most developed in the world, with a turnover exceeding £1bn each year. There are over 3,210 consumer magazine titles in the UK, of which reach 87% of the adult population.
Over 40% of the UK's publishing revenue is from physical books alone, which suggests a rise in popularity of digital books (ebooks). The value of physical children's book sales from the UK to North America increased by 60% between 2008 and 2012, whilst sales to Sub-Saharan Africa grew by 12%.
It is easy to see that the publishing industry is one of the largest and most promising sector for a creative person to land themselves in - especially living in the UK.
Coffee Table Books
Source of following information: The best Coffee Table books of 2014
'Coffee table books' is the term given to books which are purchased more as ornament than for reading purposes - the kind of books that people leave out on the table when they have company, almost as a show of class and wealth.
Though it was difficult to choose, a selection of books have been listed as the best to gift as coffee-table books in 2014 (note that there are more books listed at the source):
The Story Teller; Duane Michals.
Not as popular as his counterparts, though his photography on this book was well renowned for its childlike innocence (interesting fact that the photographer used to gift birds nests for his friends birthdays).
Tattoo; Pascal Bagot, Joe Cummings, Anna Felicity, and Friedman Sebastien Galliot.
Its popularity is more or less in tune with the rising popularity of the art of tattoos - something in the past seen as a delinquents' feature is becoming more accepted and even appreciated in everyday society.
Oxford Atlas of the World: 10th Edition; National Geographic.
The only world Atlas which is updated annually - it takes a look at issues around the world alongside physical formations of our planet. Possibly a rise in popularity as the problems we experience today are coming to the front.
The Art of Pin-Up; Dian Hanson.
Vintage is becoming more of an in-style as we venture in a circle - fashions and aesthetics are repeated, and the pin-up fashion is no exception to that rule.
Transcuba; Mariette Pathy Allen, Mariela Castro Espin, Allen Frame, and Wendy Watriss.
A study of transgender culture pertaining to cuba - issues that are cropping up worldwide that would make you seem like a thoughtful person if you appear to be in the know-how.
By observation, the most popular coffee-table books seem to be an attempt to make the owner seem more thoughtful than they are - seem more involved in socio-political studies now that the issues are creeping out into the limelight. It would be interesting to see if people have actually read these books.
'Coffee table books' is the term given to books which are purchased more as ornament than for reading purposes - the kind of books that people leave out on the table when they have company, almost as a show of class and wealth.
Though it was difficult to choose, a selection of books have been listed as the best to gift as coffee-table books in 2014 (note that there are more books listed at the source):
The Story Teller; Duane Michals.
Not as popular as his counterparts, though his photography on this book was well renowned for its childlike innocence (interesting fact that the photographer used to gift birds nests for his friends birthdays).
Tattoo; Pascal Bagot, Joe Cummings, Anna Felicity, and Friedman Sebastien Galliot.
Its popularity is more or less in tune with the rising popularity of the art of tattoos - something in the past seen as a delinquents' feature is becoming more accepted and even appreciated in everyday society.
Oxford Atlas of the World: 10th Edition; National Geographic.
The only world Atlas which is updated annually - it takes a look at issues around the world alongside physical formations of our planet. Possibly a rise in popularity as the problems we experience today are coming to the front.
The Art of Pin-Up; Dian Hanson.
Vintage is becoming more of an in-style as we venture in a circle - fashions and aesthetics are repeated, and the pin-up fashion is no exception to that rule.
Transcuba; Mariette Pathy Allen, Mariela Castro Espin, Allen Frame, and Wendy Watriss.
A study of transgender culture pertaining to cuba - issues that are cropping up worldwide that would make you seem like a thoughtful person if you appear to be in the know-how.
By observation, the most popular coffee-table books seem to be an attempt to make the owner seem more thoughtful than they are - seem more involved in socio-political studies now that the issues are creeping out into the limelight. It would be interesting to see if people have actually read these books.
Publishing Overview
(Recap from the lecture)
The Publishing industry in the UK is worth approximately £4.5bn - 60% of industry sales in the UK actually take the form of books. Penguin books are the biggest publishers in the country (and possibly the world, keeping in mind that they own puffin books too).
An increasing demand in small press has seen another rise in figures - people start to want books for beauty, and thanks to this, companies such as Nobrow now benefit from larger custom. Children's books are also ever in circulation thanks to nostalgia value - books read when parents were younger are often repurchased to read to their own children.
The publishing industry in the UK is the biggest outlet of the creative industries, easily beating the turnover of TV, music, and film industry exports according to modern day figures.
The Publishing industry in the UK is worth approximately £4.5bn - 60% of industry sales in the UK actually take the form of books. Penguin books are the biggest publishers in the country (and possibly the world, keeping in mind that they own puffin books too).
An increasing demand in small press has seen another rise in figures - people start to want books for beauty, and thanks to this, companies such as Nobrow now benefit from larger custom. Children's books are also ever in circulation thanks to nostalgia value - books read when parents were younger are often repurchased to read to their own children.
The publishing industry in the UK is the biggest outlet of the creative industries, easily beating the turnover of TV, music, and film industry exports according to modern day figures.
Dan Mumford and Drew Millward on Plagiarism
Recently, two developed illustrators visited and offered a talk on their experiences in the industry and their artistic styles (examples of their work below).
I took the opportunity to ask the two "Have you found that people plagiarising your work has been a big issue", to which they responded (paraphrased):
"It's a tough thing to say because, what's the line between plagiarising, homage, and influence? As students, artists are told to look at work and take influence from it, but there does become a point when you take too much from other peoples' works. When I (Dan) was working on music stuff, it was difficult because my aesthetic was kind of the look that many people took on - but it's also difficult to get annoyed at people simply for liking your work, though the line is crossed when they start to earn money from it. In a professional capacity, it's difficult to confront people, you usually get the same answer along the lines of "Oh well I just really like your work." I (Drew) have had more of a problem with people outright stealing my work. There are aspects of your work that people can steal like style, linework, colouring, and subject matter, but ultimately if it isn't something that you yourself have created that's being stolen, it's hard to deal with. People tracing work is also something we've come across and again this crosses that fine line. As much as plagiarism is a pain, it kind of helps you in the same place because it makes you sit and think - if my work is that easy to replicate, then maybe I need to improve. Whilst it can drag you down, plagiarism from other people is the same thing that is pushing you forward."
Dan Mumford:
Drew Millward:
I took the opportunity to ask the two "Have you found that people plagiarising your work has been a big issue", to which they responded (paraphrased):
"It's a tough thing to say because, what's the line between plagiarising, homage, and influence? As students, artists are told to look at work and take influence from it, but there does become a point when you take too much from other peoples' works. When I (Dan) was working on music stuff, it was difficult because my aesthetic was kind of the look that many people took on - but it's also difficult to get annoyed at people simply for liking your work, though the line is crossed when they start to earn money from it. In a professional capacity, it's difficult to confront people, you usually get the same answer along the lines of "Oh well I just really like your work." I (Drew) have had more of a problem with people outright stealing my work. There are aspects of your work that people can steal like style, linework, colouring, and subject matter, but ultimately if it isn't something that you yourself have created that's being stolen, it's hard to deal with. People tracing work is also something we've come across and again this crosses that fine line. As much as plagiarism is a pain, it kind of helps you in the same place because it makes you sit and think - if my work is that easy to replicate, then maybe I need to improve. Whilst it can drag you down, plagiarism from other people is the same thing that is pushing you forward."
Agency Examples: Lemonade
Lemonade are a much bigger design industry with offices in London, Yorkshire, New York, and (most recently) Taipei. They represent some of the biggest and best illustrators, story boarders, animators, and CGi artists in the industry today. Their clients are typically big names, and include Coca Cola, Nokia, Virgin, Nestle, Unilever, and Microsoft.
Alongside this, they have worked within the publishing industry with even more big names such as Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Penguin Books, Cosmopolitan and Mens Health.
This agency is not structured the same as Handsome Frank - whilst the former prefers the personal approach, everything about Lemonade appears professional, almost clinical in places, which works much better to approach the bigger companies. It is not, however, an agency I personally feel like I would work for (given the chance).
Examples of their artists' work: [Taken from here]
Alongside this, they have worked within the publishing industry with even more big names such as Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Penguin Books, Cosmopolitan and Mens Health.
This agency is not structured the same as Handsome Frank - whilst the former prefers the personal approach, everything about Lemonade appears professional, almost clinical in places, which works much better to approach the bigger companies. It is not, however, an agency I personally feel like I would work for (given the chance).
Examples of their artists' work: [Taken from here]
Milli-Jane:
Paula Blanche:
Dominic Fam:
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