First Post - Previous Work and Experience

I've made this journal as a way of noting down the different research I've collected concerning my future career and any opportunities or useful information along the way.

At the moment I have determined that I would like to be an illustrator of some kind rather than an animator. My ideal job would be a children's book illustrator but I wouldn't mind doing initial concept work, character, background and colour designs for things like films or games, maybe even storyboaring, although that is nearer the bottom of my ideal job list.
To succeed I will need to most likely be a freelancer but as I don't know much about that for now, this journal is the ideal place to find out!


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WORK EXPERIENCE
I have already had experience over the past few years which has helped me narrow down my career interest;

· From 2003-2005 I was part of the in-school company NMG Official Initials which sold custom printed T-Shirts. My job was customer liaisons. There was a PR event at the Drummond Centre in Croydon where I helped to promote the business.

· I was the Illustrator/Graphic designer for the college magazine at Norbury in 2006. I also helped to design the page layouts and organize inside content.


And for a number of different official companies –
2006
Graphic Designer at The Right Stuff (a graphic design company)
A runner at Channel 4
Concept artist at CHASE Animation Studios

2009
Runner at Framestore
Animator at Uli Meyer Studios
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So I have quite a wide range of different things I've tried and the ones I enjoyed the most were at CHASE and Uli Meyer studios because they were both focused on the initial 2D work behind projects. I wouldn't mind applying to both of them after I graduate but I would like to try my hand at getting into book illustration too.



I have also had one of my mangas (japanese-styled comics) published in Leek & Sushi 2 'Manga Cupcakes' Anthology --> http://www.itchpublishing.com/news/titles/leek-sushi-2-manga-cupcakes/
While I was not paid anything it is a great start to what I hope will be a long and fruitful career.