female Graphic Designers outnumbered?

Re: ‏

From:	Alex Tedford (alex@jpds.co.uk)
Sent:	18 March 2010 16:30:46
To:	vicky smith (vicki999@hotmail.com)
	1 attachment image.gif (4.3 KB)

Hi Vicky,

I think graphic design is perceived as a mainly male job. Whenever I begin corresponding with someone new by email, they always presume I am male, even though my name can be for either sex. I also get a lot of mail for ‘Mr Alex Tedford’. We take on work experience students from Chester Uni & last year I told the WBL department twice that I am female, having received all their mail addressed to ‘Mr’. I got an apology letter off them, but again this year their correspondence is addressed to “Mr’.
As to whether there are actually more men, we actually get more females coming for work experience, but I have a suspicion that is because females are a little less workshy ;) !!

Kind Regards,
Alex Tedford
_______________________________________________________


Awarded the prestigious Design Firms 
award for Graphic Design 2006-2007

jpdscreative
Third Floor, Redwither Tower, Wrexham. LL13 9XT
Tel: 01978 664458  Fax: 01978 660339  Web: www.jpds.co.uk
_______________________________________________________

female Graphic Designers outnumbered?

RE: 2 minutes of your time‏

From:	vicky smith (vicki999@hotmail.com)
Sent:	19 March 2010 20:05:54
To:
	1 attachment image001.jpg (14.8 KB)

I am in my final year of a BA Hons Design and Visual Arts course i can assure you i am a student who has been set this task by my lecturer and i feel it is purely based on design. I would also like to add that all three of my lecturers are male.

I have approached numerous Design Companies for feedback on the issue but feel that in some way you may of taken offence by the question raised, I am seeking opinions and experiences for research purposes only and welcome your feedback however under no circustances did i wish to couse offence

Thank You for your comments

vicky

female Graphic Designers outnumbered?

RE: 2 minutes of your time‏

From:
Sent:	18 March 2010 15:57:00
To:	vicky smith (vicki999@hotmail.com)
	1 attachment image001.jpg (14.8 KB)

Come on... is this about design or equality... this is 2010. Women can do with their lives as much as men, if not more... it’s equal. I don’t care if a woman or a man is a brilliant designer, the fact that they are brilliant is a personal honour, nothing to do with being man or woman. If you’re a student and this task has been set by your teacher, I apologise... it’s not your opinion I see. I’m guessing your teacher is a woman though, with a chip on her shoulder about men. Design is not about women or men, it’s not about equality... it’s about design, any man or woman that shouts out they are suppressed or outnumbered, should learn to be a better designer.

Your web link 1

‘More than half of the graphic designers in the U.S. are women, yet they are less likely to be invited to speak at conferences or to offer expert opinions to the media. Their award-winning work is seen everywhere, but with few exceptions, they are not celebrated in the same way as their male counterparts’.

This is Not about design... they are winning awards. So they are recognised. Maybe the woman that wrote it feels suppressed. Maybe her husband is a slob.

Your web link 2

So why is that? Why is it that females don’t seem to be as prominent in web design as they are in say fashion design? Is the graphic design industry sexist? How can we balance the sexes in the industry and do we need to?

Is this a question or a statement, It answers itself... But what a question though... Is the design industry sexist. Is Nursing??? Is the fashion industry.??? No, I think not.

Equality is here... Women designers are rcognised in their own right as brilliant. They don’t need suprssed equality rantings to get them recognised. Your teacher should rethink what year it is! Pathetic.

female Graphic Designers outnumbered?

Hi Rob,

This is purely for a essay question i was presented with from my tutor and im just simply trying to answer it.  I currently do not have an opinion on this as i have not yet experienced the the industry as i said i am still a student.  

I  have however found some websites that talk about this issue when researching the question links:

http://www.graphic-design.com/bookshelf/women-design

http://www.attitudedesign.co.uk/where-are-the-female-designers/

Hopefully these links will explain more clearly where im going with this.

Many Thanks 

Vicky 

Female Graphic Designers outnumbered?

RE: 2 minutes of your time‏

From:
Sent:	18 March 2010 11:29:39
To:	vicky smith (vicki999@hotmail.com)
	1 attachment image001.jpg (14.8 KB)

Hi Vicky,

I’m confused... ‘Out Numbered’ ... Strange terminology. Surely it’s open for both men and women to choose their career paths. Out Numbered implies there’s a dispute between men and women in the design industry... or is this your opinion only?

Would you want to see and equal standing of both men and women in the design industry? Maybe you could also head count the number of male nurses against female nurses, and ask ‘Are they Out Numbered’? or are they simply making career choices.

My point is... where are you going with this?

Female Graphic Designers outnumbered?

From: vicky smith [mailto:vicki999@hotmail.com]
Sent: 18 March 2010 10:31
To:
Subject: 2 minutes of your time

Hi ,

I am a student in my final year writing a issues and practices essay. My issue i am looking at is

" are female graphic designers out numbered by men in the work place?"

In order to get an accurate and fair write up i would like to hear from people in the industry both male and female of any experiences they might of come across or simply what there own opinions are.

Thank You for taking the time to read this and i look forward to your response.

Many thanks

Vicky Smith

Visit to Axongarside

I visited Axongarside on Tuesday 9Th February.

Axongarside is situated in Disley not far from Lime Park.  I saw a lovely lady called Caroline wright.  The company specializes in Advertising, Exploring Technology's and Web Design.  There are eight members of the team at Axongarside they self promote via emails mainly but there latest promotion really impressed me, they have used the Classic game Guess Who and slightly changed the packaging to show what there company can do, They also included a free toy inside, they haven't yet launched this design so unfortunately i can not add an example of this.

Caroline was very inspirational explaining to me the different routes of Graphic Design she explained that there was the design side of things, which is self explanatory then there's the accounts side in which you deal more with the client rather than the design.  She also explained some of the terminology they use including Business to Business and business to consumer she said that once in the design industry i will get a better understanding of these terms.  She also explained the different stages of a designer explaining that you normally start as an Art worker, Junior into Senior then moving onto Junior Designer, middle weight designer, Senior designer then creative designer. 

I asked Caroline how does she get her inspiration?  her response was that she mainly looks at research she explained that a silly idea can lead to a brilliant idea, she also said that with 14 years of experience she finds it a lot easier to sit with a pad a draw.

I also asked what she thought about today's climate and getting a job in the industry, she explained that in her opinion she would of thought that students would be at an advantage as there cheaper to higher and also they can be useful with work experience she said that if anything students are at an advantage.

Caroline had a look through my portfolio she gave me some useful tips and explained that they like to see a range of work including drawing skills, she said that many companies still like to see the black zip folders at no more than an A3 size.  She said that a nice idea was to have something to leave behind like a book with a few examples in to let the interviewer remember you.  She also explained that been chatty and outspoken can also get you noticed, having a good personality that shines through in an interview can work to your advantage.  Caroline also  said to try and prepare a small speech in your head about each piece of work as some companies expect you to talk about them.  She then went on to talk about the CV she said that although your a designer we don't want to see over the top designed CV's, she went on to explain that the CV should be plain but sell yourself in the first few sentences but when sending examples of work make this quirky and exciting.  Caroline went on to say "always remember if you get a second interview your on to a winner".  

When speaking to previous designers from college visits and designers i have visited they warn you of the divide between male and female in the graphic design industry, this is something that has interested me so i asked carolines experiences of this she found it a very interesting question and explained that in all the years she has been in the industry she has never experienced this, the only thing she has experienced was a company being concerned about females starting a family before hiring them and she tends to find that there are more women on accounts and more men designers.

caroline Wright was very friendly and has really inspired me she explained to me that getting as much work experience as i can will look better on my CV, she then went on to offer me Work experience in the summer, which i was really pleased about .

axongarside http://www.axongarside.com/