Tom Cocks studied part-time at #shillolon in 2014. He’s currently working as a UX & Graphic Designer at Smart Currency Exchange where he creates internal advertising and brand design for both print and digital projects. In addition to this, Tom has paired up with fellow Shillington graduate, Sean Feehan to begin their own start-up iPad design agency, Kennen. Today we hear more about his Shillington experience, who’s inspiring him at the moment, and how he’s collaborating with a fellow Shillington graduate.
How has your life changed after Shillington?
Before Shillington I was freelance copywriting, working a number of marketing positions… basically, not really knowing what I wanted to do. Now I get to do something I love and earn money for it, and feel very lucky to be able to do so.
Did you have any previous design experience? How did the course build your skill set?
The majority of previous design experience consists of making band flyers in paint when I was 14 or so—so yeah, not much! I had an opportunity at work to create an advert one day and it was a lot more fun than my day-to-day work, so I thought I’d see if there was a way I could get paid to do that instead.
Why Shillington?
Shillington’s brochure was super easy to understand when I first read it through, and felt a lot clearer/transparent to someone who really did not know their arse from their elbow when it came down to design.
I knew exactly what you could get out of the course—a portfolio you can proudly throw under the nose of any creative director who lets you near them. It helped me see exactly what the culminating point would be.
There seemed to be a much clearer sequence of events in relation to actually having a good chance of getting a job in comparison with a university degree. But then, I did take Philosophy at university.
You’re working as a UX & Graphic Designer at Smart Currency Exchange. How are you finding it?
Working in-house, for me personally anyway, I think has been a great opportunity to start my career. I’m the only creative here, so for one I can get my mitts on a wide array of different things—print, digital, apps, shop fronts—which is a great challenge and lets me vary my workflow. It also means I have to make everything practical and feasible. Going off too far on a tangent which makes no sense to the business means I won’t be able to pay rent the next month, so everything I do needs to work. It’s a little pressure, but it’s mainly what I put on myself. I’d hate myself for doing a shit job of something when I know I can do better.
In addition to working full-time, you’ve paired up with fellow Shillington graduate Sean Feehan to develop your own start-up iPad design agency. Tell us about that!
Yeah, Sean and I met at Shillington and are both always in need of beer money. It seemed like the logical thing to do!
We both really enjoyed creating interactive magazines as a part of our student portfolios, and were both keen to work together and tackle projects that would let us use different skills than we might get an opportunity to use in our day jobs, to help us both develop our skills further. We’ve just signed up our first client and are about to start our first project so hopefully it’ll continue going to plan!
What do you love about being a designer?
Not having to do something I hate to earn money to forget about doing something I hate… ad infinitum. I’ve worked shit jobs—it’s nice to be able to turn up to work knowing you can enjoy yourself and give everything you have to offer. Even better when you can look back at it the following week and it’s not terrible.
Who or what is inspiring you at the moment?
I’ve just started drawing (I’m using the term ‘drawing’ very loosely) again over the last few months for the first time since I took GCSE Art, so I’m really enjoying illustration at the moment.
I’m also inspired by some of the work being put out by power-houses like Jean Jullien, Laura Callaghan, Nick Gazin and of course Mr. Bingo is blowing my mind at the moment. What I can really appreciate is a sense of humour and/or personality that comes through their work without completely overshadowing the final result.
Where do you see yourself in 12 months time?
In 12 months I’d like to have gotten better at using a pencil and gotten some experience agency-side. I’d love to experience and work in some studios overseas—some of the stuff I’ve seen coming out of South Korea and Poland, for example, is absolutely killer—but that’s probably a bit more long-term.
You studied part-time at Shillington. How did you find the experience of juggling work and the intensive 9 month course?
Studying and working can be knackering. You are going probably to not be able go out and to have fun all the time, but it isn’t tiring. I was working on something I knew that, at the end of it, I could be proud of if I put the effort in. I enjoyed that, and the challenge.
What would you say to someone who is sceptical about the Shillington course?
You’ll get as much as you put in. I don’t think it’s suitable for anyone expecting to slack through the course and have their hand held—and your lecturers won’t do that. If you’re willing to work, you’ll finish the course with confidence in yourself. And a sweet portfolio.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Read/watch/go to/submerge in everything you can that is involved in design. And find somewhere that sells decent coffee.
Big thanks to Tom for sharing his story and letting us peek inside his portfolio. Be sure to check out his full portfolio.
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