STUARTSLACK

YOU CAN FIND ME ONLINE

stuartslack.uk

The right man for the job?

helloMy name is Stuart and I love to design. This booklet is a short introduction to who I am; what I’ve learnt and where I’m headed.

What have I been doing?

WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO?My last role has been working as a Senior Integrated Designer at Sherry Design Studios in London. I’d known the guys there for a while and had worked on some major projects before taking a full time position with them. I’ve greatly enjoyed working there over the past few years and have had the privilege of working with some incredibly talented and very interesting people.

It was during my time at Sherry Design that I found a growing desire and need to step up into a more senior role as either a Creative Director or Head of Design and to harness the variety of creative talent available at any given time and then lead and shape that talent into a brilliant and dynamic team; capable of producing award winning creative and effective solutions.

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT SO FAR?

If you were to cut me in half you would see I am a designer through and through. It’s not something I can ever seem to switch off. I’m always making sense of what I see, hear and touch - is it effective; does it excite me; does it motivate me?

Being inspired is instrumental to my design. It’s enabled me to develop and execute the marriage of image and type and create design that delivers crisp and clear messages to the right people. I love the art of visual communication and using it to express big ideas that enable clients to communicate effectively with their audiences in a way that is both engaging and meaningful.

My greatest strengths lie in my approach and attention to branding and the design process. This includes: listening well; understanding the issues; defining the brief and then taking that journey of discovery, unwrapping the conceptual thinking which eventually opens up into well executed design solutions.

I believe that branding has to be authentic, but it must also be aspirational, looking ahead to where a brand wants to be. Design can be a world of smoke and mirrors, and everyone accepts that a bit of salesmanship is never too far away. However, it’s important to balance this with openness, integrity and honesty. These are also qualities I would expect to find within the workplace and to treat clients with that same level of understanding and respect.

I can be a bit of an idealist and a perfectionist and often have to weigh that up with certain business considerations most notably the financial implications of any given project. I’m convinced though that by providing strong evidence of previous success you can convince clients that its worth doing properly. The ability to measure the financial impact of your creative work directly influences the ability to convince future clients that their investment is sound, and it’s something I would want to see implemented in my new role.

I have the design and interpersonal skills required to build and lead a creative team that can deliver award winning creative and provide effective, successful design solutions. ”“

MY APPROACH TO DESIGNOver the last few years, I’ve had a number of opportunities to lead the creative process and direct those I work with. I’ve found it hugely enjoyable and very fulfilling. It is wonderful to see people really engage with design when supported and encouraged in the right way.

I’m a keen advocate of working collaboratively - using each person’s talents, ideas, personality and experience to bring a wealth of creativity and impetus to every project. With clear and concise direction a collaborative approach enables all those involved to add value to a project; engage with it and take ownership of it in a way that a competitive environment does not allow for.

Working in this way really allows creativity to flourish and is particularly helpful for involving more junior designers; allowing them to be part of the overall process while learning new skills.

I am passionate about inspiring designers; developing their ideas further and constructively challenging them to enable them to achieve winning results. Creating the right environment to work in is so important. Establishing a culture of openness, good teamwork and the freedom to make mistakes is crucial to a healthy design team. A happy designer is a good designer.

My approach when directing the creative is to encourage designers to focus on their strengths and then work with them to develop any weaknesses. The role of mentoring plays a large part in enabling me to get the very best out of people and bring them on as designers. It ensures they stay in love with design and are happy to invest their time and energy in the process.

Driving all of this is my desire to break new ground creatively and create award winning design. I know I’m capable of it and I know I can build and direct a team who can be capable of it also. Now I just need the opportunity to present itself.

CLIENTS I’VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH.I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of prestigious clients over the years from all sorts of different sectors. The demands are often high and the expectations can be great and I’ve found it’s important to establish that a partnership gets the best results rather than being purely a service provider.

Big companies often have big personalties and it’s important to manage them as well as the project, helping to define the boundaries with respect but strong leadership. After all they have come to you for a service they are not skilled in. I’m not an apologist when it comes to the value of design and understand the huge impact it makes for companies.

I’ve also been very fortunate to work for many small companies, start-ups and charities and have enjoyed working with them just as much. It’s a great thrill to see your design work inspire them and their staff and see it transform their business and open up new avenues for continued partnership.

SO WHAT’S MY NEXT MOVE?

I’m looking to step up into the role of Creative Director or Head of Design depending on the size and nature of the company. I want to bring everything I’ve learnt over the years to help build a team that will push boundaries and produce award winning design and I believe I have both the design and interpersonal skills required to drive and deliver it.

After 17 years of doing this fantastic job, I’ve seen some great approaches to design and learnt which pitfalls to avoid. This has helped me to shape a solid methodology that works to produce the best results and provide brilliant work.

I’m looking forward to the opportunity to show what I can do and bring a wealth of benefits both to my new employer and their clients. I would be a very valuable asset to any organisation and if the fit is right, I could really help to bring creative success as well as financial success.

I am passionate about inspiring designers; developing their ideas further and constructively challenging them to enable them to achieve winning results. ”“

SO... WHAT ELSE DO I LIKE DOING?I have a very inquisitive mind and love to explore this crazy big world of ours, though these days I certainly don’t get to travel as much as I’d like to.

Ideas can come from anywhere so I like to take an interest in just about everything. It’s surprising where you find the next source of inspiration. Here are just a few of my favourite things...

JAPAN

I have a deep love and respect for Japan and its culture. I’m fascinated by its rich history, fashion and language. There is so much beauty to be found there from its rich landscape to the iconic kimono. I’m also a bit of a geek when it comes to their pop culture with its eclectic mix of east and west. I like to watch anime and am a big fan of Satoshi Kon. I admire the Japanese approach to design as they are the true masters of the aesthetic.

CHESS

I love playing games in general and have a good collection of them at home but by far my favourite game is Chess. I’m a keen strategist and like to be competitive when playing. Chess is the ideal game as it relies solely on my ability with no luck involved. Its a true battle of wits and the game can often be won in the mind long before it plays out on the board.

ART

This of course seems quite obvious but gaining an appreciation for art and art history over the years has been a real inspiration for me. I’m just as happy in either the National or the Tate and enjoy learning how to really look and understand the significance of art, not just its visual form, but also as a commentary on society as a whole. My favourite artist is probably Vermeer as his use of light is sublime.

MUSIC

I’ve been playing the guitar for many years and was in a few bands growing up. I taught myself to play but took some lessons recently which really helped me improve. I love to listen to music when designing especially EDM with its ambience and soundscapes which take me on those emotional journeys. My favourites bands to listen to are Boards of Canada and Daft Punk.

WHAT DO OTHERS SAY ABOUT ME?

One of the best team players I ever had! Stu is a brilliant designer and it’s been a great pleasure working with him at Sherry Design, collaborating on several projects. He has strong interpersonal skills, I was always in awe of Stu’s ability to make clients and people around him feel comfortable and understood. He has a wonderful flair for design, his eye for typography and his sense of details and finishing go well beyond any bounds I have ever seen. I definitely recommend him to anyone.”

“

Stu has been one of most impressive designers I have ever worked with. He has the rare skill of being able to communicate complex design ideas with warmth and humour. I’ve been in meetings with him and his presentational skills are second to none. He manages clients expectations whilst efficiently producing beautiful work.”“

I would highly recommend Stu and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. During his time at Sherry Design he was a brilliant, dependable and creative asset to the team. Easy to converse with and a great personality, I would consider him a friend as well as an important professional connection. With every project I was confident he would utilise his brilliant design talent and work ethic to the best of his abilities. He consistently produced strong work and great creative solutions meeting and exceeding a wide range of client expectations.”

“

Stuart, is a fantastic Designer. I was lucky enough to work with Stuart at Able Creative Ltd on many a project. Stuart would always come up with the goods, his motivation and determination to deliver creative solutions whatever the brief, budget or deadline made him an asset to our studio and someone I always wanted on my team. Stuart’s rock solid work ethic and talent makes him a creative I would always recommend.”

“

I had the good fortune to work with Stuart on a variety of projects whilst at Idea. He his real enthusiasm for everything he does and has a real gift for the small details on projects. I would, with out hesitation recommend Stuart as a designer and creative, but also as an individual adding value in what ever projects he is involved with.”“

You can view some of my work online at stuartslack.uk

If you’ve read this far then I might just be the right man for the job. I’d be very happy to grab a coffee and talk about any possible opportunities or job roles you think

would be a good fit for me. So please get in touch - it could be the start of something amazing!

0777 333 7979hello@stuartslack.uk