Ken Reynolds - Graphic Designer and Illustrator
Creative Boom Ipswich talks to Ken Reynolds, an Ipswich based graphic designer, illustrator and former Suffolk College degree graduate who, needing a greater creative outlet started up his own successful business.
1. Name? Creative Field? Location? Website?
Ken Reynolds Graphic Design & Illustration Ipswich, Suffolk, UK www.kenreynoldsdesign.co.uk
2. Describe yourself in three words!
Committed, Funny & Sensible.
3. Tell us about your background
I live and work in Ipswich, with my lovely fiancé in a small one bedroom flat where we manage to co-habitate without causing each other too much physical harm. This is despite the fact that I manage to mix work and home life in that dangerously confined space.
I graduated from Suffolk College with a Design degree and like most students in the industry struggled to get a foothold on the career ladder. I eventually found a job in a small print firm. It's not the glamorous end of the design field but I've learned a lot about print processes and production, that in my experience, most designers don't bother themselves with.
I now work between my day job and freelancing, which I love as well as it keeping me sane! I'm very proud to be a product of local education. I only attended Suffolk College for the last year of my degree, but before that I attended West Suffolk College in Bury. In combination I felt that I was prepared for the struggles of 'real world' design.
It's exciting to see the new University Campus appearing, and I look forward to going back each year to see the graduation exhibitions. I guess I was born a few years too early, as I'd have loved to have attended what the University Campus will eventually turn into.
4. What inspired you to launch your own business?
In a word boredom! The day job is great and I love what I do but I needed a more creative outlet. Print prep doesn't let you get all that imaginative. So I started a few private projects on my own time, picked up the odd job then it all started snowballing.
5. What's your proudest moment so far?
Probably getting a job out of Uni, it felt like such an achievement, even more so now looking back at how competitive it was. Don't get me wrong I'm proud of all my work, but that would have to be the biggest thing for me.
6. And your greatest project?
Probably my own website and blog. It's so much fun to create a brand from scratch. It's a huge challenge too. Then again anything worth doing is never easy. The best part of my site is definitely the blog, I've had a great time getting that up and running and sustaining it. It gives my creativity a bit of a boost because I'm always thinking of content. If I didn't have my blog I wouldn't have started my little comic strip for it, or be writing as much as I do. In fact it's undergoing a little bit of a facelift at the moment, I hope the changes will go live soon.
7. Who or what inspires you?
A big influence on me is a photographer and illustrator called Dave McKean. His work is amazing. It's totally removed from what I do, but anything can inspire you, it's up to the individual how it's channelled. I love being inspired by seemingly insignificant or random things. Unexpected inspiration breeds the most creativity for me.
8. What do you hope to be doing in five years time?
I hope to be working for myself full time and be happy. Simple enough goals, but happiness is the only firm aim I have in life.
9. When you aren't being creative or running your business, you are...?
At the moment not a lot, I'm a bit 'All work and no play...' No sign of a rampage yet though, I can assure you. I try to read as much as I can, sometimes it's related to work, most of the time it isn't. Otherwise I'm just like anyone else, films, music and sport. These things are a smaller part of my life than they used to be. I have to commit to work for now, just to see where it will take me.
10. Anything exciting ongoing or in the pipeline?
Obviously my blog is ongoing; I'm trying to contribute to other sites to gain a bit more exposure and a few more readers. I'm dabbling with a few tutorial articles and creating a few custom brush sets to give away. I'll keep churning out the comic strips as they seem to be quite popular. I've been working on a lot of T-shirt design so far this year, and it doesn't seem to be letting up at the moment. I'm always optimistic that more great projects will turn up on the horizon.
11. Finally, any words of wisdom to other creative people or businesses?
Never stop learning, never let yourself think you have all of the answers and never be afraid to ask stupid questions. Creativity is sparked by new experiences, so if you are constantly learning you'll never be short of ideas.
