Meet the #MOOcrew: Marcus, Software Engineer
Our MOOcrew are pretty awesome. Wonder what it’s like to work at HQ? Take a peek behind the curtain at a day in the life of a MOOster…
Marcus Mathioudakis
Hey guys, I’m Marcus – I’ve been at MOO for a year, working as a software engineer on the MOO Business Services team.
At MOO, I’m responsible for…
working on moo.com’s b2b application, “MOO Business Services”. I’m also the bassist in the company rock band Print Floyd.
I got my role at MOO by…
Meeting MOOsters at Silicon Milk roundabout. I came in for an afternoon of interviews about a week later; I really liked everyone who interviewed me, and the work sounded interesting. The whole interview process took about two weeks.
My morning routine is…
I run into work (about 4km ) and get in about 9am. When I arrive I’m 50% human 50% sweat, so I shower, then have some breakfast while checking emails and slack.
A typical working day is…
My crew standup is at 10.30, and we run through what everyone’s working on and if there are any blockers. 11-13.00 I try and keep meeting free, so that I can get through 4 focused pomodoros and 3 mugs of tea. If I’m working on something that I’m less experienced in (e.g. something relating to our pipelines) I might grab one of the senior developers on our team and pair with them. At 13.00 I’ll head to the kitchen area to heat up my lunch, and join one of the groups of people eating there or on the roof terrace (weather permitting). After lunch I’ll continue the morning’s work, breaking for a team huddle to discuss any interesting technical challenges we might be facing, or a quick game of ping pong. I normally wrap up my work around 5.30, at which point I will either head home, or grab a beer from our fridge and make my way to our little rehearsal room for band practice.
Something people don’t know about my role is…
Although I was hired as a front end developer, I probably spend just as much time on back end stuff. No one tells me what stories I need to work on; I’m free to pick the pieces of work that I find the most interesting and challenging, and if it’s not something I’m experienced in I always have the option to pair with one of our senior developers.
My proudest moment at MOO was…
Helping to build our consent service in time for the GDPR deadline. We really came together as a team and delivered something awesome.
The thing I like most about working at MOO is…
The focus on making sure that we’re building things in a way that will scale, as well as on learning by pairing with others; these two things combined mean that I’ve picked up a ton of new skills since joining. Working with a lovely group of people definitely helps too!
On the weekend, you’ll find me…
Making electronic music in my bedroom studio, and going to gigs around London/Europe.
If I wasn’t doing this as a career, I’d be…
Playing live electronic music full time!
The best career advice I’ve ever been given…
I’ve been told to consistently try and push myself outside of my comfort zone. I find that for me at least, this is the best way to keep growing as person and as a professional.
Stay tuned. We’ll be hosting a guest blog every week from one of our crew across the business to tell you what it’s really like to work at MOO HQ. Up next, we’ve got Nick, our Account manager
Want to join our #MOOCrew? Check out our current vacancies
Here’s how three artists used their business cards as a pocket portfolio.
As an artist or a designer, describing your aesthetic can be difficult to put into words when meeting potential clients. Handing out a piece of your artwork to take home can be a great way of acquainting people with your style, making you memorable, and nailing those on-the-fly networking moments.
Kim Knoll
Chicago-based designer, Kim Knoll, discovered her passion for painting two years ago after experimenting with watercolor washes as a background texture for one of her client brand projects. Between running a design studio with her husband and working as a graphic designer by day, Kim dedicated her free time to creating serene watercolor artworks.
Kim’s paintings are inspired by her love of minimalism and passion for the natural world. “I use a combination of watercolor, India ink, metallic gold and pencil, coupled with the glazing technique,” Kim explains, “which means adding transparent layers of washes to create depth and tonal shifts. Doing design on a computer forces me to perfect details down to the last pixel, whereas watercolor is unpredictable. It’s so freeing and therapeutic.”
Acting as mini pieces of art, Kim chose Super Business Cards with Soft Touch and Gold Foil finishes.
“Clients love the shimmer of gold and are obsessed with touching them. That Soft Touch finish wows them every time, and it makes them not want to put it down – which is fine by me!”
Add texture to your art with Super Soft Touch Business Cards
Curated Dry Goods
Kristine began painting three years ago as a form of therapy to improve her mental health. Driven by the belief that “art can heal, and life is better with a little color in it”, she took her passion for print and stationery and started her business, Curated Dry Goods.
Drawing inspiration from the lush botanical gardens and springs that surround her home in Florida, she creates bright, bold illustrations of foliage, flowers and fruits in sorbet watercolor shades. “I use gouache for most of my paintings—I just love how vibrant the colors are,” Kristine explains. “The way I work is by painting the same flower or palm tree over and over again on paper until I get it just right, then scan and digitize my favorite. This way, I can create multiple designs from one painting session.”
To showcase her range of bold motifs, Kristine printed her Greeting Cards with Printfinity. “This option is perfect for me, as my collections come in several different colors.
I love how the satin finish makes the colors on the card pop and the quality of the paper gives it an elegant touch. MOO really captured the vibrance of the original designs.”
Create a range of Greeting Cards with Printfinity
Joy Jen Studios
After running a wedding photography business for five years, professional snapper turned abstract artist, Jenna McKechnie, founded Joy Jen Studios with the aim of bringing happiness to those around her with colorful prints, cards and other creations. Two years later, Jenna has developed her creative side project into a business, which she runs from her home in Leeds, UK.
Jenna creates work inspired by her surroundings, communicating the natural and urban landscapes around her into watercolor shapes and hues. “I don’t want to box myself in to one medium, so a few of my pieces also involve lettering or illustration and I occasionally love to throw a bit of acrylic paint or oil pastel into the mix” says Jenna. “I love to be constantly experimenting with new tools and ideas.”
To make her designs stand out from the crowd, Jenna chose Square Business Cards, created with Printfinity. “I’ve been so happy with the reaction from customers at print fairs.
They’re like little pieces of art, and people love taking time to pick their favorite design. I hope my cards bring joy to a corner of their office or home and really make my name memorable.”
Add an unexpected twist to your branding with Square Business Cards
To truly work its magic, your brand’s tone of voice needs to be accessible to everyone in your company. Here’s how to define values that work for your whole team.
We’ve blogged before about the value of a great tone of voice, and how to use tone of voice on social media. But what about those building blocks at the heart of your tone of voice, your tonal values? What are they, where do they come from, and how do you find the right ones for your brand?
More importantly, how can you make sure they’re useful enough to become part of your team’s everyday toolkit?
Choosing your values
Your tonal values are the ‘personality traits’ that make up your tone of voice. Although there’s technically no maximum or minimum for the number of tonal values you can have, it’s a good idea to stick to 4 or 5 so that you can remember them easily and still get a range of traits to play with in your messaging.
Before you get started, it’s important to know that tonal values describe how you sound, not how you think, feel or behave. This is an important point, as it will set your tonal values apart from your brand values. It also helps make sure your tonal values are as practical and useful as possible.
Think about the kind of words you use to describe someone’s language and personality style. ‘Chatty’, ‘playful’, ‘helpful’ and ‘reassuring’ could all work well as tonal values. So could ‘formal’, ‘respectful’ and ‘straightforward’.
‘Stylish’, ‘aspirational’, ‘edgy’, ‘cool’ and ‘immersive’ are examples of values less suited to tone of voice. Although they could work as tonal values, but they’re a bit less focused and more open to interpretation, which will make them trickier to define.
Action plan:
- In a group or with your whole team, collect as many words as you can think of that describe how your brand sounds, or would like to sound. Capture them on a whiteboard, on Post-it notes or a flipchart where everyone can see them.
- Once you have your long-list of values, you can invite people to vote on the ones they think best relate to your brand voice. You don’t have to narrow down the top 4 or 5 at this point, just get an idea of what’s most popular.
- It’s a good idea to have one person who is guiding the process and helping to steer the group through any indecision. They can help identify potential values that are similar to each other (where you don’t need both) and weed out any values that are less tonal and more brand-like.
Differentiating your tone of voice from competitors
Part of the reason for having a great brand tone of voice is that it sets you apart from other companies. So when you’re choosing your values, it’s worth having a think about your main competitors. How do they sound? Is there a general trend in your industry for a certain tone? Could you break the mold by sounding a bit different?
Action plan:
- As a group, note down your main competitors and review their tone of voice. Using a projector and a laptop to bring up their websites and social media sites can be handy for this process.
- Notice any common themes that come up. Are they similar to each other? Do you see any similarities with the long-list of tonal values you came up with for your own company?
- Going back to your original long-list, look for values that stand out as being different from the competitors. Did any of them get a high number of votes from the team? If so, they’re promising candidates! Mark them with a star.
- Now it’s time for the final vote… get everyone to choose up to 3 tonal values and tally up the scores to find your final 4 or 5.
Defining your tone of voice values
Now you’ve got your values, you need to flesh them out and define what they mean to your business. It’s really important to do this because everyone will have their own interpretation of what each value means. If you don’t make the meaning specific, the tone of voice won’t be as unified and clear as you want it to be.
Action plan:
- Give each tonal value a short statement that explains what it means in the context of your business. This is probably a job for one person to do rather than in a group, although you can get group feedback and make changes as many times as you need to to get it just right.
- Keep your statements short and sweet – a single sentence is enough. Make sure all your tonal values and statements will fit on a single A4 page. This way it can be a helpful at-a-glance reference, and not a document that feels onerous or time-consuming.
- Write as though you’re talking to someone who works at your company. For example, if the tonal value is ‘helpful’, the statement could be – ‘we put ourselves in the customer’s shoes and give them the information they need.’
Getting your team on board
When your tone of voice is brand new, your team should be comfortable and familiar with it, as they will have helped build it. But what about onboarding new staff or refreshing people’s knowledge after some time has passed? Here are a few ways to embed tone of voice in a memorable way.
- Build a tone of voice toolkit with helpful tips and examples of your tone of voice in action. This document can be handed out as part of your onboarding welcome pack.
- Hold a workshop where you use the company tone of voice to spruce up some basic messages. Invite people to write new versions – even if it’s not normally part of their job.
- Gamify your tone of voice with a company tone ‘hall of fame’ – an ongoing contest that recognizes great examples of your tone of voice in action. You could even award a monthly prize for the best ones.
Flip your tone of voice around by setting new team members the task of writing in the opposite of your tone of voice. For example, with values like ‘helpful’ and ‘positive’, get them to write something that’s deliberately unhelpful and pessimistic. This will help drive home the difference a good tone of voice can make.
Looking for more tonal tips? Here’s how to decide how your brand should sound on social media
Growing your business could be as simple as standing up and speaking in public more often. From how to dress to where to put your hands, here’s our guide.
Speaking at events and conferences is a great way to grow your business. As well as bringing brilliant opportunities to network, it can give you a platform to promote yourself and your brand.
We understand that it can be a little daunting at times though – so, if you’re not a fan of taking the stage at conferences and events, here are some public speaking tips to overcome the nerves – you’ll be a pro in no time.
Start small, think big
So, you’re probably thinking, “where do I start?”. Well, the good news is, no-one plunges in straight away with a Ted Talk so start small. Think about all the times you’ve done public speaking without even realizing it. Perhaps you’ve chaired a meeting, introduced someone at an event or proposed a toast at a party? All of these things are great examples of public speaking, and a brilliant place to start. Speaking at events where the stakes aren’t as high will really help you to build up your confidence gradually, work out what techniques work for you and where the areas for improvement are.
For more tips, check out our guide on how to get started in public speaking.
What to wear
If you’ve found a public speaking engagement, the chances are that your thoughts will soon turn to what you’re going to wear for the big event.
On the one hand, you want to look authoritative, professional and camera-ready. On the other hand, you want to look authentically you – and you definitely don’t want to be restricted by tight neckties or uncomfortable high heels when you’re already feeling a little nervous on stage.
Then there’s the question of what your outfit says about you, and what kind of impression it will make on the audience – will your personal appearance be in tune with your message?
Dress for comfort
Sadly, taking the stage in pyjamas is a no-no, but you can still feel at ease in front of an audience. Strike a balance by choosing good quality clothes with classic but roomy styles. Your clothes should give you a good range of movement and not cling or rub during your speech delivery.
It’s a good idea to pick items you’ve worn in the past and know you are comfortable in. Natural fabrics tend to be more breathable than synthetic ones, and can help you stay cool and comfortable – a must if you’re prone to stage fright. Look for cotton, linen or light wool fabrics in your wardrobe.
Dress for your brand
Dress is a powerful form of non-verbal communication. You’ll make your first impression before you even say a word. Along with your body language, eye contact and facial expression, your clothes have a big role to play in forming an audience’s opinion of you.
A plain suit in dark colors is a classic choice that places the emphasis on your words, not your looks. But play it too straight and it could be a missed opportunity to stand out. A splash of bright color, such as a shirt, scarf or tie, can add a memorable edge to an outfit.
Personal grooming is also very expressive. Think about whether you want to look polished or casual, what kind of hairstyle or facial grooming you want to do, or whether to wear makeup – and if so, if it’s going to be a classic and natural look or a striking statement.
Three things to check before you go on stage:
1. Smile
Practice a quick smile in the mirror and make sure there’s no salad caught between your front teeth!
2. Hair
Make sure your hair is neat and there are no stray tufts or strands sticking out of your hairdo.
3. Mic
If you’re wearing a body mic, check that it hasn’t affected the line of your outfit or pulled anything out of place
How to prepare your speech in 3 steps:
Step 1: Create a structure
It’s important to prepare a framework for your talk or presentation so that you can plan out what you’re going to say and how you’re going to deliver it – but don’t write yourself a script and try to learn it off by heart.
Think back to a time where you sat through a scripted speech or talk – did you actually take any of it in? Scripting your delivery means you could run the risk of coming across very flat – it could lose the inflection and tone that makes you sound genuine, allowing you to fully connect with your audience.
Daniel Kingsley of Presence Training, a company that runs public speaking courses in London recommends a six-point structure:
- Open with something personal to grab their attention
- Tell them what the talk is going to be about
- Name three main points
- Elaborate on the main three points
- Summarize the three main points
- Find an entertaining or emotionally powerful way to end the talk. Even better if it references how you started the talk, as this is emotionally satisfying
Step 2: Make prompts
If you’re not presenting visually, you may want to make yourself some prompts on Postcards to help keep you on track. It’ll take pressure the off of having to remember every fact, as well helping to remember the order and flow of what you’re presenting. Having notes can provide a security blanket – of course, it’s great if you don’t need them, but if you happen to lose your place or forget what you wanted to say, a quick glance at your notes will put you right back on track.
Remember the following when preparing your prompts:
- Jot down key phrases or headlines – don’t write in full sentences – your notes are there to jog your memory
- Make sure your notes are easy to read – write larger than you would usually and leave space between each point
It’s ok to look at your notes – and your audience won’t mind! And, if you do need to look at them, do so in a deliberate manner. Break eye contact with your audience, look at your notes and take the time to absorb your next point. When you’re ready, re-establish your eye contact and deliver that section. The pause may seem long to you, but it won’t to your audience.
Step 3: Practice
Practice your talk before the big day. Go through it in front of friends or family, preferably ones who’ll be honest, and not too brutal! Video yourself and play it back, noting down any improvements you need to make.
If you feel like you need more public speaking practise in general, take advantage of any opportunities to practice public speaking with others.
It’s a great idea to see if there is an active Toastmasters International club in your region. This organization teaches leadership and public speaking, and is known as a tried and trusted way to start public speaking with ‘training wheels’ on.
Pecha Kucha is another international organization that holds public speaking events in cities. Talks can be on almost any subject, but are limited to 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds only, so your speech will be concise and focused.
If you don’t have anything available locally, there’s always online public speaking practice. A quick search will connect you with sites like Pspeak and The Public Speaking Project, which give you opportunities to learn public speaking techniques and try them out with exercise or webcam-based practice.
Of course, for some people practicing in private is more comfortable, and that can be just as valuable if it helps build your confidence. Whether you practice in front of the mirror, or record yourself with the selfie camera on your phone, putting the time in to learn and improve is what matters.
What if your mind goes blank?
Once your preparation is done, your mind will probably shift to thinking about the day itself and whether your delivery is going to go to plan. It’s totally normal to be nervous and there are some really simple things that you can do to help overcome the nerves.
It’s all in the preparation. Whilst we don’t recommend trying to learn your whole presentation off by heart, it can really help to memorize just the first 30 seconds. This will help you to deliver a strong start, allowing you to really getting into your stride. Once you get over the initial hurdle and land the first part of your speech, it can really help to build your confidence, strengthening the rest of your delivery.
Just remember, mistakes are normal and usually, audiences don’t even notice them. Have some water to hand in case your throat feels dry – taking sips can also give you time to collect your thoughts.
Use body language when public speaking
Most of the time, you walk, talk, stand and move around without thinking too much about it. But once you step on stage in front of a live audience, it’s typical to feel like you’ve got two left feet and about three extra arms you don’t know what to do with. The combination of performance anxiety and knowing there are eyes – and cameras – trained on you from all sides can result in your movements and posture becoming stilted and uncomfortable-looking, which can detract from your message.
Body language can be your greatest public speaking asset, but you need to know how to control it so that you’re giving out positive, confident vibes rather than nervous ones.
Audiences respond best to speakers whose body language doesn’t distract from what they’re saying, but reinforces the message with expressive gestures and facial expressions.
To get yourself tuned in to body language and start thinking about the kind of gestures and posture you want to use on stage, the Institute of Public Speaking recommends watching your favorite TV show with the sound muted so you can observe what kind of impression different gestures make.
Where to look
With so many faces in front of you, it can be hard to know where to look. Building a relationship with an audience isn’t about trying to look everyone in the eye, but it’s good to keep your eyes front and off your notes as much as possible if you want to hold people’s attention.
Having good eye contact with your audience will help them to feel more connected to you, and what you’re saying. When speaking to a room of more than 30, find 3 or 4 people at different points in the room and split your gaze between them as you speak. This can also help you to gauge whether your audience are keeping up with you, whether you need to slow down a little or explain things in a little more detail.
Alternatively, if you don’t feel comfortable addressing people in the room, you could find a couple of objects, like a sign or ornament, to speak to. Apply the same technique as you would if you were speaking to people – split your gaze, moving around the room. Just don’t fix your gaze on the back of the room – you’ll seem distant and may look like you want to escape.
And remember, blank faces are normal – so if you do catch someone’s eye and they don’t look exactly rapturous, don’t take it personally.
What should you do with your hands?
The majority of us talk with our hands when we’re in conversation and this should be no different when public speaking. In fact, gestures can actually help to reaffirm what you’re saying, getting your point across. So, do what comes naturally to you. We really like the tips in this article too.
If you have access to a lectern, this can also be really helpful as it gives you somewhere to rest your hands should you need it. You can also leave your prompt cards (if you have them) on your lectern leaving your hands free. You may find this helps to counteract your nerves, stopping you from playing around with your cards and shuffling them in your hands.
Props can be useful to illustrate a point or if you want to show one of your products. A good trick is to hold up your prop for several seconds before saying anything. It allows everyone to take a good look at it and builds anticipation.
The best posture for public speaking
- Stand upright, with your ears, shoulders and hips in a vertical line. Aim to look alert and lively, but not like you’re standing to attention.
- Keep your shoulders down and back, creating an open, relaxed posture. Try not to hunch forward.
- Keep your movements smooth and relaxed. Some physical motion, like hand gestures and moving from one side of a stage to another, can add dynamism to your speech, but avoid looking fidgety or hyperactive by pacing around or tapping your toes or fingers.
Engaging your audience while public speaking
Just because you’re on the stage and your audience is sitting listening doesn’t mean you can’t form an authentic connection with them. You can make your audience feel more engaged using some simple techniques.
Interact with the audience
This can be as simple as asking the audience questions related to your speech and getting them to raise their hands in response. Asking for their input like this makes them feel that they have a role in your talk and are contributing meaningfully. Discuss the results of your impromptu audience poll as you continue with your talk, and for extra value, try referencing the interaction again at the end, with a phrase like ‘as you’ve indicated during that quick poll…’
Use your presentation deck as an engagement tool
Your presentation slides give you a whole extra visual dimension to play with. Use tools like visual puns, cultural references – think topical memes or public figures – graphs, charts and illustrations to add to your talk’s interest-factor.
Try digital interaction
Invite your audience to use their mobile devices to comment on your talk and extend its reach onto social media. Adding a hashtag to your slides can help get people live tweeting and quoting from your speech during the event. You can also use tools like ShakeSpeak to let audiences vote on questions and display results on your presentation screen in real time.
Here are a few more public speaking tips for engaging your audience and keeping their attention.
Ready to start public speaking? Find a local meetup and put your skills to the test – don’t forget your Business Cards
Our MOOcrew are a pretty wonderful bunch. Want to know what it’s like to work with us? Take a peek at a typical day at our HQ.
Sona Shah
Hey all! I’m Sona, a Project Manager at MOO and sit within the Marketing teams. I’ve been at MOO a year and a half now.
At MOO, I’m responsible for…
Managing a number of projects that touch the marketing department, most commonly our global sales campaigns and annual holiday campaign. I’ve also worked on projects like the redesign of our packaging, the launch of a new product and our direct mail campaigns.
I got my role at MOO by…
Bumping into MOO at the Silicon Milkroundabout fair a couple of years ago.
My morning routine is…
Usually having a quick coffee and smoothie before I get to work. Once I get in, I check my emails first thing to see if there’s anything urgent and then have a look at what I’ve got on for the day before I have a little wander and catch up with my teammates.
A typical working day is…
Varied depending on what I’ve projects I’ve got on. Typically, I spend a portion of my day liaising with our translators, agencies and internal stakeholders to ensure all our copy gets translated and ready for stakeholders to execute with. Aside from that, my day consists of check-in meetings for all my projects to ensure they’re all on track or to address any obstacles that stakeholders might be experiencing. Plus some time where I go through project plans, timelines, reporting, notes from meetings.
Something people don’t know about my role is…
Aside from managing projects, I also look after the translation process at MOO to make sure all our copy and assets are localised for different language markets.
My proudest moment at MOO was…
Lots of different moments, but when the strategy I had put together to improve our translation process at MOO got approved, that was quite a big win!
The thing I like most about working at MOO is…
The flexibility – I’m given the freedom to work in a way that works best for me! The office space is great too.
On the weekend, you’ll find me…
Researching my next place to travel, looking up fashion – bloggers, clothes etc., seeing friends and exploring London – trying to go to new restaurants.
If I wasn’t doing this as a career, I’d be…
An architect, interior designer or a spy.
The best career advice I’ve ever been given…
Always be honest. Don’t be afraid of failing.
Stay tuned. We’ll keep hosting guest blogs from one of our crew across the business to tell you what it’s really like to work at MOO HQ. Up next, we’ve got Marcus, our Software Engineer.
Want to join our #MOOCrew? Check out our current vacancies
The freelance illustrator and Friday Night Sketch host talks to MOO about the challenges of her chosen medium, and how to break into editorial illustration.
Cat O’Neil is an award-winning freelance illustrator, producing intricate designs for publications including The Financial Times and Time Out.
The topics she tackles are as varied and challenging as renewable energy, the works of Debussy, and motivation. She has also produced a graphic novel, Returning Home, exploring what is meant by ‘home,’ and inspired by Cat’s mixed-race heritage.
Cat’s work is built on in-depth knowledge of the history of illustration, and her influences include Japanese woodblock printing and the work of Norman Rockwell. From these foundations, Cat has developed a captivating style that’s completely her own.
As the host of Friday Night Sketch at The Design Museum on the subject of visual metaphor, we caught up with Cat to discuss how to build a solid client base, the art of maintaining originality, and the evolution of her artistic approach.
How did you start out as an illustrator?
I studied illustration at the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA), graduating in 2011. I began promoting my work during my final year, so by the time I graduated I hit the ground running.
At ECA, I had a part-time job as the Graduate Studio Assistant, which included teaching workshops. Next, I was an Artist in Residence, which was paid in free studio space and access to the facilities. So it was a pretty gradual transition from student to fully fledged illustrator.
What have been the biggest influences on your work?
At ECA, I was really into Ukiyo-e – Japanese woodblock printing – and the Surrealists, and would also look at as much contemporary illustration as possible. Having worked in art education, I had cultivated a good knowledge and understanding of the history of my discipline.
After graduating, I began looking into the roots of illustration, from Honore Daumier and Gustave Doré to more recent work by artists such as Norman Rockwell and E. H. Shepard. I also started reading more graphic novels.
As I grew more experienced, I began to distil exactly what I loved in illustration. The work I wanted to follow the most was very much about the concept: work which is just so damn clever, I look at it and think, ‘Wow! That’s so brilliant.’
Day to day, I try not to look at too much contemporary illustration, because I don’t want to be influenced. It’s important to know the roots of your discipline, but also to look away from external influences if you want to make work that’s truly your own.
How did you move towards using visual metaphor in your work?
It was gradual. In school, drawing things accurately was important to me, and having that background in precise drawing means I have quite a handy skill set now.
It became less important when I realized I was more concerned with how interesting my final piece of artwork was, rather than how accurately it depicted something – a lot of the work I love is not realistic at all.
What’s your process when responding to a brief?
Coming up with visual metaphors is partly down to the way you look at things. It’s important that I understand everything in an article I’m illustrating, which can mean doing a fair bit of research. Then I go through a process of idea generation, starting with mind-mapping and word association.
Say your brief is ‘eco-friendly.’ You might think of grass, then of things that aren’t eco-friendly, such as factories. That might lead to the thought, ‘Why don’t I draw a factory made of plants?’ and BOOM! There’s your first idea.
And that’s just the idea – there are so many ways of drawing it. The challenge is that you don’t want your image to be clichéd, but it also has to make sense to the viewer.
Some jobs are surprising, because the content seems dull – but then you find a visual solution that’s really enjoyable to work on. For each piece, I come up with as many concepts as possible, and choose the strongest. Then, I send at least three rough ideas over for each final illustration.
I draw the image out in pencil, then ink it up using brush pens, mapping nibs or brushes with Indian ink. I color everything digitally, using Photoshop and a Wacom Cintiq drawing tablet.. I see drawing roughs similar to composing music, while making the final artwork is like the performance.
My use of color is very intuitive – it just kind of happens. But it also massively affects the mood and impact of an illustration. Color is where the magic happens for me – it can bring a piece to life, and totally enhance the concept.
How did you break into editorial and build such an eclectic client base?
Working in editorial came the most naturally to me – I think it’s worth looking at what content you like to engage with the most, as that says something about what kind of work you will enjoy.
Self-promotion is where products like MOO’s are super useful. My methods have stayed the same – I research which publications I want to work with and who the Art Director is, then send them a Postcard with one of my illustrations, a bio and a link to my website.
I follow up with emails and phone calls – it’s a lot of work, and you can’t take it personally when people don’t respond to you. Everyone is busy, especially in editorial.
You might not get a job now, but in a few years time, when an art director sees you’re consistent, you’ll have earned a credible reputation.
Sometimes an Art Director is waiting for the right job to come up, or perhaps they’ll love your work, never reply to your emails, then give you a job five years later. You have to think about it as a long game.
What excited you about hosting the Friday Night Sketch on Visual Metaphor at The Design Museum?
It’s always exciting to be working with people who are engaged in the subject, which is what I loved about teaching.
People’s enthusiasm is a joyful thing to share, and everyone can be creative, no matter what their skill level at drawing.
How do you structure your work time?
For me to be able to work well, it’s important to be healthy, so I try to make sure I get a decent amount of sleep and go running a lot. I try not to work too late, but it happens – I’m also quite bad for working over the weekends.
My workspace is in my flat, and I’m quite a solitary person, so I can quite happily go for days without seeing anyone. That’s probably not very healthy, but it works for me.
What’s your favorite project to date?
Last year, I did a piece on Debussy for the New York Times. Any job about music is going to be fun, but I was also working with a really good art director – rather than giving me dimensions, he just let me make it whatever size and shape I wanted.
I was so happy with how the piece turned out, and it was my first job with the New York Times, so it was very special to me.
Make your mark with personalized Postcards
Our MOOcrew are a pretty wonderful bunch. Want to know what it’s like to work with us? Take a peek at a typical day at our HQ.
Javier Ferrer
Hi, I’m Javier, I work in the Product Design Team and I’ve been at MOO for a year now.
At MOO, I’m responsible for…
The design and innovation of new physical products. MOO is a print company, so lots of our work involves finding the best quality papers and experimenting with different materials. When I’m given a brief to create a new product or develop an existing one, the first thing I do is focus on the problem we want to solve, and really get under the skin of how the product works. Then I can start thinking about ideas
I got my role at MOO by…
Winning over my team during my interview with a presentation of innovative packaging!
My morning routine is…
Begins with a treacherous bicycle commute dodging the London traffic, followed by a lot of coffee.
A typical working day is…
Sketching, updating myself on design news, more sketching, a bit of 3d modelling and the occasional cup of coffee.
Something people don’t know about my role is…
That creating a great design is only half the battle – it’s also very important how you present your idea, so we need to sell it in the right way.
My proudest moment at MOO was…
When I solved my first packaging problem.
The thing I like most about working at MOO is…
The great variety of people working here…and the free Friday lunches!
On the weekend, you’ll find me…
Scouting out the many green areas of London with my dog Mango (who’s also a MOO office regular!).
If I wasn’t doing this as a career, I’d be…
An architect! Or when I was younger I really thought I’d be playing the drums in a band.
The best career advice I’ve ever been given…
Is don’t fall in love with your first concept or idea, the best is yet to come!
Stay tuned. We’ll keep hosting guest blogs from one of our crew across the business to tell you what it’s really like to work at MOO HQ. Up next, we’ve got Sona, our Marketing Project Manager.
Want to join our #MOOCrew? Check out our current vacancies
Our MOOcrew are a pretty great bunch. Wonder what it’s like to work at HQ? Take a peek behind the curtain at a day in the life of a MOOster…
Amy Schofield
Hello lovelies, I’m Amy. I’m a Content Associate at MOO and I’ve been here for just over 6 months now.
At MOO, I’m responsible for…
All things content! So that includes articles, a little bit of site copy here and there and some video occasionally too! My team primarily look after our awesome MOO Blog where we share loads of exciting interviews, design inspiration and business tips with our creative community. It’s our job to inspire customers with great designs, stories from creatives we work with, and advice on building their business.
I got my role at MOO by…
I studied Literature and Creative Writing at university because I always knew I wanted a writing job. I’d heard MOO was a great place to work so I made sure I kept an eye out! Luckily a vacancy came up in the content team and I jumped on the chance straight away. From there, I did a presentation to the team and luckily for me they liked it!
My morning routine is…
Snooze my alarm from 7AM…7.05AM…7.07AM, before finally dragging myself out of bed. If I’m really adulting, I’ll make a smoothie before I go out (it always looks gross. Like a sample from a pond). Then I head out the door and put my makeup on on the tube. Once I get to work, I’ll have a cup of tea and catch up with my team on any nice dogs we saw on the weekend before cracking on with my day.
A typical working day is…
Working in the wider Communications team alongside my PR and Social Media pals. There’s always projects that we’re all working on together – whether that’s supporting a new campaign or making plans for a product launch. They’re a mega talented bunch and we all work really collaboratively to support each other’s activity. In the content team, we write and commission a lot of articles so a few hours are normally dedicated to proofing and editing pieces then getting them live on the blog. There’s also new articles to brainstorm, questions to write for interviews with designers, and supporting wider teams on any content needs for the site, email, or social channels.
Something people don’t know about my role is…
We don’t just write articles. Content is a big, broad-brush term and it encompasses loads of touch-points, so we get to work on lots of different streams with various teams. We could be helping the Social team adapt copy for an article on Instagram Stories, working with PR on an article featuring a new design collaboration or product announcement, or supporting the email team on crafting some super-snappy headline copy.
My proudest moment at MOO was…
Finishing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge with 50 other MOOsters was awesome – we raised £25,000 collectively for our chosen charities. It was tough and I literally never want to see a pair of walking boots again – but I was so proud of us all!
The thing I like most about working at MOO is…
My team! They’re a lovely talented bunch of humans. Free Friday lunch and cake is a pretty big sell too! Oh, and there’s dogs in the office. Need I say more?
On the weekend, you’ll find me…
In the pub mostly! Punctuated with eating chocolate in bed while watching documentaries.
If I wasn’t doing this as a career, I’d be…
I’ve always loved words, so I’d love to be an author! I could never say for certain though – there’s too much stuff to try! I’d love to be a wildlife photographer, a tattoo artist, a florist… but judging by my indecisiveness I’d most likely be unemployed!
The best career advice I’ve ever been given…
Do whatever makes you happy.
Stay tuned. We’ll keep hosting guest blogs from one of our crew across the business to tell you what it’s really like to work at MOO HQ. Up next, we’ve got Javier, our Product Designer.
Want to join our #MOOCrew? Check out our current vacancies
As Friday Night Sketch at the Design Museum continues into 2019, we speak to our third host about her fresh take on a traditional medium.
Based in London, Katie Rose Johnston is an illustrator, designer and watercolor painter. Using traditional media to tackle subjects both classic and modern, her often playful designs are informed by a characteristic sense of humor and a love of bold color.
Watercolor, as Katie admits, “can have a bit of a twee reputation.” But her work, as an illustrator, designer and watercolor painter, is anything but.
“Most mediums come and go, and are in and out of fashion,” Katie says. “But lots of brands use watercolor in conjunction with negative space, which gives it a modern feel.”
Her clients include Sonos, Universal Music and Cocktail Lovers magazine, and Katie has also exhibited in a number of spaces across London, including the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal Academy.
Alongside her commissions and collaborations, Katie hosts regular artists’ workshops, and is a member of the illustration collective Day Job Studio, which collaborates on projects from murals and editorial to animations and installations.
We caught up with Katie to uncover her approach to using watercolor in design, and what excited her about hosting the latest instalment of Friday Night Sketch.
How did you start out as an illustrator?
My family’s very creative, and encouraged me to develop my interest in art. Quite early on, I became fascinated with drawing, and my desire to draw and paint has been a constant. I’d still say drawing’s the glue that holds the different elements of my practice together.
I studied illustration at Camberwell College of Art, London, and it was there that I really understood what being an illustrator could mean, and how to challenge it. I also went to the Royal College of Art (RCA) to do a Master’s degree, where I learned how my skills could be valuable in other contexts.
It can be hard to keep your energy up, especially when you get knock backs, but it’s about not taking them personally.
What influences your style of work?
I love to travel – I take hundreds of photos, make sketches, and use these to create illustrations and stories about the places I’ve been. It’s a good way of improving my skills, but also a way to feel rooted in new places.
Day to day, I’m always observing things in my environment. I love patterns in pavements and buildings, and the colors that appear in natural landscapes. I’m also really lucky that a lot of my friends and family are designers, so conversations are a big source of inspiration.
When drawing from life, I work much more spontaneously – it’s like a frenzy on the page. Then, when I’m painting a finished composition, things are more slow and considered.
I think the challenge for me is to try to do this in reverse – to keep some spontaneity in my final compositions, and to have more consideration and not rush when drawing from life.
Tell us about the Day Job Studio collective. How did it come about?
It started when my friends and I left Camberwell in 2012. A group of us who’d worked together on our degree shows had nowhere to put our art stuff, so we decided to share a studio in Peckham.
We used it as a place to keep making work and sharing ideas, and realized that strength in numbers would allow us to work on exhibitions and publications together without breaking the bank. Day Job Studio evolved from there, after we realized collaborating was a great way to get noticed after university.
As we’ve grown into our own different areas, we’re all more focused on our individual careers. It means we have to make a real effort to do something together each year.
It’s so important, though, as you can get sucked into making client work and forget yourself at times. Day Job is our opportunity to keep track of our own selves.
What’s your favorite project to date?
A lot of the things I did with Day Job in our first year were so much fun, and I also worked on a project generating animated show visuals for Peter Gabriel and Sting, which was incredible.
Along with a team from the RCA, we developed a really inspiring little environment in a tiny room packed with things. We tried to keep the work as lo-fi as possible, and I had a great time thinking of creative ways to make hand-drawn, hand-painted images come to life.
I also have a book coming out this August called Paint Play, published by LOM ART. Its about playful approaches to watercolor painting, so I’m looking forward to that!
You’ve appeared in an impressive number of exhibitions around the UK. How do you get your work noticed by galleries?
Lots of the exhibitions were joint projects with Day Job. Strength in numbers means we had the confidence to just go for it!
I also went through a phase of just applying for everything, and was lucky enough to get work that way. It can be hard to keep that level of energy up, especially when you get knock backs, but it’s about not taking them personally.
What’s your work space like?
The past year has been a challenge, as I gave up a fixed studio space to travel to Asia. I put together a traveling kit which contained all the essentials for work. Some of the places I set up in were unbelievable – when I was stressing about a deadline sitting next to the Mekong River, I had to pinch myself!
More recently, I’ve moved into a new place in London, with space for a home studio. I’m desperate to have all my creative tools around me again, and to work on some much bigger pieces.
How did you get into teaching?
At Camberwell, I started teaching design part-time at weekends, via an outreach program. Since then, I’ve taught adults and children in schools and galleries.
Now, I run my own workshops and design the content myself, which is something I want to develop a lot more this year. I find the people who come along so inspiring, and always feel like I’m learning from them, too.
What excited you about hosting Friday Night Sketch at The Design Museum?
The theme of the evening, ‘Drawing Calm,’ is something I started exploring at the RCA, and I’ve since run workshops which combine creative learning and meditation.
It’s a personal theme for me, as I’ve struggled with anxiety – and drawing or making something with your hands is a really good way to manage stress.
It was surprising to teach drawing in such a geometric environment, which was reflected in the sketches people produced. Many opted to focus on the shapes and patterns of the space, which was great.
What tips would you give to new designers hoping to grow their design career?
There’s something to be said for quietly working away at your skill sets, and having a sense of modesty about it. It contradicts a lot of the business advice that yells, ‘Get out there!’ but I think it’s important to have a solid foundation before you start shouting about how great you are. The people who are really good let their work speak for itself.
Find out how Tom Maryniak is reinventing wallpaper with woodcut
Currently on an artists’ residency in Lisbon, we talk to Tom Maryniak about the woodcut designs that turn wallpaper into an art form.
With designs including ‘Let Them Eat Steak,’ and ‘Farting Victorians’ and ‘Grecian Porn,’ Tom Maryniak’s unique bespoke wallpaper prints can be found in homes, restaurants and bars across the world. Often deliberately provoking, they aim to reframe how we view wallpaper.
Based in Lisbon, where he’s in residence at Zaratan, Tom’s preferred medium of woodblock printing involves a painstaking cutting process, and the ability to visualize his striking designs in reverse.
With the book cover for Ten Drinks That Changed the World recently added to his portfolio, MOO caught up with Tom to talk about embracing mistakes, the joy of shocking an audience, and how he landed his residency.
How did you become interested in design, and what drew you to woodblock printing in particular?
I came to design through my art. I’m often surrounded by art I feel indifferent towards, so I’ve always tried in my own work (and, in more recent years, in my wallpaper designs) to create something that stands out.
One of the simplest and most primitive ways of doing this is to shock people, so my wallpapers were a mergence of this – a piece of provocative imagery.
Your designs are full of atmosphere – where do you look for inspiration?
I’ve always loved theatre and storytelling, and often want to distil elements of these into my images. I think about bringing as much narrative as possible into a piece, and often hinge that narrative on a moment just before or after something dramatic has happened.
Woodblock prints initially drew me because they’re so bold and monochromatic. The contrast between the white paper and the deposits of black ink have so much aesthetic drama in them.
I think my influences within the medium of woodblock itself originated from the German expressionists, but inspiration comes from everywhere from history and literature to photography and dinner.
What’s the physical process you go through to create a piece of work?
Relief printmaking, like lino or woodblock, isn’t a very instinctual process. You’re working on an image that only comes to life when you ink it up then print something which will appear on the paper in the reverse.
Words have to be cut out backwards, and making a black line isn’t as simple as drawing one with a pen. I’m forever wrestling with how much to cut away from the block and when to stop, because the answers will only come at the last possible moment. It’s like playing roulette.
I do tend to worry less now though, embracing mistakes and enjoying the outcome without expectation. When it comes to art, concrete expectation is always a fairly disastrous tactic.
What sparked your decision to focus on wallpaper design?
My intention was always to try and do something new with wallpaper. I’ve always said I wanted to have people appreciate wallpaper as they might a piece of fine art, rather than see it as something that complements their drapes.
I’ve invited all sort of reactions to my wallpapers, both positive and negative, which is great – any reaction is preferable to none at all. There’s a restaurant in London [Hixster Bankside] whose bathrooms I wallpapered, and which I’d consider my masterpiece.
Every time I go in, the manager chastises me for all the complaints she has to deal with. The design is called ‘Grecian Porn’, inspired by the figure paintings on ancient Greek vases.
What’s your process when working on collaborative projects?
I’ll always ensure we strike up some sort of rapport before we move onto a professional collaboration. I think it’s important to get an idea of how people work and to build up a degree of transparency and trust before taking the leap into a project.
I begin with a lot of sketching – the main creative process happens for me when I visualize that passage in a book, or distil the lyrics which will form the basis of an album cover.
Then we’ll look at the work together, and perhaps juggle the composition around. I think I work like an illustrator in that sense, taking a concept or words literally and translating them into a visual accompaniment.
You’re currently on an artists’ residency at Zaratan. What advice would you give to designers seeking to secure a place on a similar scheme?
Artists’ residencies are amazing opportunities if you want to shake up your work, but you need to do your homework. I spent weeks working on my Zaratan application.
Ensuring your artist’s statement is tight, and that your images are clear, seems obvious – but these people are poring over hundreds of applications a week, so even if your art is a masterpiece, a sloppy application could mean failure.
What’s your studio space like?
I spend my life in my studio. It’s a third-floor atelier, north-facing with lots of sunlight pouring in. The building’s right in the center of Lisbon, and still has all its original Azulejos tiles and windows. It’s a dream. I’ve done little to the space apart from whitewashing, bringing in a few printing presses and the occasional bunch of flowers.
What are you currently working on – and what’s next?
The holidays are always hectic, so I’m spinning a few different plates right now. I run print workshops at the weekends in the studio with another printmaker, with the aim of giving people an introduction to the relief-printing process and pattern making.
I have my own monthly Postcard project, which involves me sending a hand-printed postcard out to subscribers at the start of each month, as well as a few other commissions.
I’m also currently talking with a publishing house about a big project commencing in spring 2019. It’s a good job I like my studio!