Emily Forgot

20^th April 2010 visiting lecturer

Emily Alston aka Emily Forgot  came to give a informal lecture for the 3 years of D&AD. She was a very charismatic woman and spoke to us instead of at us, unlike other designers in the past.

She is a illustrator mainly and a part time graphic designer, but wants to be more focused on graphic design as there is more freedom in designing unlike illustration where the client tells you the colours and style of the piece.

She graduated in 2004 from Liverpool School of Art and Design and had been designing ever since, she has now moved down to London because she thinks being in London makes being in the industry easier, not the creatively but it has opened doors for her.

She is influenced by A.M. Cassandra who was a illustrator, typographer, designer and set designer of the 1920’s.

And by the surreal artists Salvador Dali and Alan Aldridge.

She has done work for the likes of Selfridges and Adidas, and by the looks of her website she is well known in the community. She has designed a cover for the Creative Review and from this got work from Yamaha.

Her work is very 2D and illustrative, using A LOT of gradients which I don’t favour but hey it works.

“I like busy things like Where’s Wally”.

Although I think she is freelance now she has in the past worked for creative agency’s, she worked for Village green for 6 months. But from what she said she felt restricted.

“Be self indulgent”

she got very giddy and excitable about her work in the lecture and made everyone laugh, she like to get things in her designs that she likes, like legs and tea pots.

She has also screenprinted for the If You Could website which focuses on Working with established designers and illustrators as well as emerging talent they produce work for publishing, exhibitions and events. If You Could has been featured in international design and style press including Creative Review, Grafik, Design Week, Computer Arts, Wonderland Magazine.

Along side commercial endeavors Emily produces personal work in the form of limited edition prints and ceramics. Her work has been exhibited both in London and abroad most notably in 2007 at the “Fragiles” show as part of the prestigious Miami Art Basel.

She has clearly done well for herself with her career. In the space of six years she has definitely made a name for herself and still seemed grounded and young and fresh, she didn’t take herself seriously and doesn’t with her work either, her work is fun and visual it doesn’t have to have specific reason or meaning, she just makes it.