Q&A with an Artworker: from phone boxes to print and everything in between
If you had to sum up your job in three words, what would they be?
Mysterious. And. Important.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
Taking a concept from a rough idea into a finished design is probably my favourite part of the job. Actually, I especially enjoy when you create a piece of design and get it right the first time.
The client is happy, understands your vision and you don’t need to make endless changes. If only every job were like this!
If you weren’t an Artworker, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
Exotic dancer or ideally someone who makes models and props for films. I suspect the latter doesn’t pay very well, so I’d need to win the lottery first.
What’s the strangest project you’ve worked on?
The Manhattan Project… I wasn’t really qualified for it. Either that or spending a week driving all over Hull with my previous job to locate, photograph and evaluate every phone box for potential advertising space in 2017.
Trickier than you’d think especially when the phone box had been removed and the map hadn’t been updated.
This resulted in me walking aimlessly around a neighbourhood I didn’t know and the teenagers over there looking like extras from the film ‘The Warriors’.
What’s your least favourite part of being an Artworker?
One of the key parts of my role is sending things to print. I dread it! Mostly because I feel the pressure not to make a mistake. Because not only will it be there for all to see but could potentially be costly for the business if something needs to be reprinted.
Thankfully, over the last 20 years, I’ve built really good relationships with clients and printers. We also use some pretty good proofing software at Pace, so everyone’s in the loop at every stage.
So together, we manage to avoid any dreaded misalignments, typos or Pantone, CMYK or RGB colour discrepancies!
Is the job what you thought it would be?
When I was at college, I thought it would be all album artwork, exciting film posters and uber-cool coffee table book covers… it isn’t. The majority of projects I work on are brochures and leaflets that businesses need to function.
However, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of these projects recognising their value to the clients and I enjoy working with the team to get them right. And every now and then, a special project comes up that excites and inspires me - reminding me why I enjoy doing what I do in the first place.
Find out more about the design team here.
