Dave McDonald is a design director at Newcastle based design company Infinite. Dave graduated from Newcastle College in 1996 and left for London to get a job, whilst in London Dave worked with two leading branding agencies, but felt he wasn’t being true to himself and London wasn’t for him. After London Dave came back to Newcastle where he remained unemployed for 12 months despite looking for work, during this time Dave remained determined and worked on personal work. Dave was eventually offered a design job within the music industry he started at 9am and left at 11.30. Dave was then recommended to a design agency called Infinite by a photographer who he had worked with whilst doing his personal work. Infinite took a chance and hired Dave. Dave lives by the ethos that you should be true to yourself whilst looking for a design job.
Dave was the leading designer on work at Dance City in Newcastle. As a designer this is a highlight of his career as he had influence of the architecture of the building. Within the branding for dance city Dave used the windows as inspiration and used this within the branding, he also used the way the light came through the windows in the branding to show movement.
Dave has also worked on the revamp of the Tyne and Wear metro, he feels this is a sharp contrast to the Dace City work because it was very corporate. This was a difficult job because Dave felt the design for the Metro system was and still is a good design.
Dave appreciates the use of networking and feels it is a vital tool for any graphic designer. Through networking Dave met a photographer named James Shilton and produced a website for him James work is usually web based and so the website uses Red, Green and Blue, a simple but effective design and concept.
Dave also does personal work in his spare time and has learned how to use photography himself, photographing the Multi Storey car park in Gateshead to help build up his skill base.
Dave believes when you collaborate with people it is vital you get along as you will enjoy working with each other and this will show in your work. Dave collaborated with photographer Marcus Ginns to produce a creative process for northern stage. This was an open brief and one Dave enjoyed due to the fact its aim was to get people thinking differently.
Dave also produced the branding for Marcus Ginns, for this he used a yellow dot, which Marcus often uses to select the shots he will use. This is a very minimal design but loved by all, as it’s so recognisable.
Inspired by his personal work for Marcus Ginns Dave came up with a design for One North East, which was nominated for an award, Dave credits the inspiration behind this design with the personal work for Marcus Ginns.
Dave’s other work includes work for dance company Virtual Dance Company where Dave used an angular graphic design, Saints hotel where Dave used a feather which changed shape through different elements of design to show how effortless it is to stay at the hotel.
In 2005 Dave won a pitch for producing an album cover for the future heads, where he was dismissed as a designer by Warner Brothers and was ordered to be shadowed by another design company. Dave wasn’t paid the money agreed for this job and walked away after being treat particularly badly by Warner Brothers. Dave still likes the work he created but said he would never work within the music industry again. Although Dave admits this was a very low point within his career he is grateful in some respects for this experience as he feels it taught him an important lesson and feels freelance designers should be particularly careful agreeing prices for milestones and agreeing fees before any work starts.
Dave feels there are three important things to address whilst looking for a job and attending an interview.
- ¨ Personality you should be relaxed, professional, honest and positive, remember that you are talking about something that you and your interviewer love so there is no need to be nervous.
- ¨ Portfolio, whilst talking about your portfolio you should be genuine, confident and receptive. Believe in your work and use feedback to improve it and only use your own work.
- ¨ Passion, you should show passion and be positive, brave and committed show a sketch book and ask for advice, show work your not sure about and if you believe in your work stick up for it, without being argumentative.
