The curious case of QR codes

Remember when QR codes tried to be a thing in England? I think the main reasons they never took off was because they required you to have your own scanning app and just didn't seem to scan quick enough. It was far more easy to just use Google.

Now ask yourself, how many times have you ever scanned a QR code? A few? A lot? I’m guessing the answer for a lot of people will be a big fat zero. If this is the case you can change that right here, right now. Scan the image below, and it'll take you to a mobile version...of my blog. How meta.

I certainly can’t remember ever scanning a single QR code. I always thought they were useless and a bit of a gimmick. Not anymore.

In China, QR codes are everywhere. They’ve moved away from being a joke and are an integral part of everyday life. Major retailers, street markets, restaurants, transport services, even beggars, and buskers. They all have and use QR codes. You can use these codes as ID badges. You can connect to Wi-Fi hotspots with them. You can use them to send parcels, reply to job adverts, you can even have them as tattoos.

The main reason why QR codes are so popular in China is down to an app called WeChat. It’s a multi-purpose app that has nearly 1 billion daily users and has been described as China’s “app for everything”. One of WeChat’s main features is WeChat pay. It’s basically the same thing as contactless or Apple payment. And because WeChat has a built-in QR scanner, it makes paying for things effortless. You take your items to the till, scan the code, type in what everything costs, show the receipt to the cashier and away you go. 

Because QR codes are used so much, they work so much better than what I remember. They’re quicker, more accurate and don’t require you to stand directly in front of one for it to work. I once saw someone scan a code from about 5 feet away.

The Chinese have also managed to implement QR codes into their advertising. I’ve seen QR codes on leaflets, press ads, billboards, TV commercials, even 20-foot ones on the sides of buildings. The codes on the adverts work the same way as they do anywhere else. Scan it and get taken to a web page. I’m yet to find any that have done something a bit more creative, but I’m definitely going to keep looking. Can you imagine seeing a QR code appear on an ad in the UK now? There’d probably be a social media frenzy with people ripping it apart and saying things like ‘creativity is going backward.’ 

I don't think QR codes will ever be as important as they are in China, but it’s nice to know that if they did make a comeback, they might have a bit more use.

This post also appears on Nathan Harper's blog.

4 good reasons to study Graphic Design at Preston

We have been busy recently putting together a small promotional document about the Graphics course and thought it might be a good idea to show you a little of the work in progress. We have been scouring the hard drives and mining the archives to highlight a few highlights over the past 20 years. Hope you like?

Laughing Stock

Hopefully we will have it printed for the degree shows in June!

Ben Tallon interviews &y Bainbridge

As regular readers will know, we recently mentioned that Ben Tallon who interviewed Jack Renwick during conference week had also interviewed UCLan graphic design's senior lecturer, Andy Bainbridge. The episode is now available so please head on over to Arrest All Mimics and have a listen.

Oh Sh*t… What Now

Former conference week speaker and friend of the course Craig Oldham is hosting an event created specifically for students, graduates and young creatives, i.e. the readers of this website.

Building on his recently released book, it will be an invaluable opportunity to glean some advice, tips and first hand experience. 

The event is free, is on May 24th in Manchester, and at the Whitworth which itself is worth a trip over either way.

Oh Sh*t… What Now? attempts to make a genuine and honest attempt at bridging the gap into the creative industry. And though many might think this was an already well discussed topic, the reality is that the problem is almost never fully addressed in a meaningful, insightful, human manner. The majority of advice available to young and aspiring creatives is a sort-of feedback loop of inane maxims and idle advice, constantly spinning the same strained clichés.

Craig's aim is to try and remedy this. In his honest and direct (Yorkshire) manner.

Book your tickets here.

The life of an art student

Illustration course leader Steve Wilkin recently alighted upon a copy of Picture Post published in 1941 at a sale of second hand objets. With a keen eye and being a well practised collector of visual ephemera (as we all are), Steve purchased the printed publication and happened upon a most interesting article: The life of an art student.

Here follows an extract:

When you read that word "art student", what do you think of? To most people there's something a little outlandish, a little scandalous, about the word. "Ah, you say she is an Art Student?" people will remark, and they nod their heads wisely as if they know just the kind of girl you mean — a slightly hysterical young thing with sandals, bright clothes and a queer hair-cut, who chain-smokes, swears easily, and is always at bottle parties and never at work.

Most of them are faced with the prospect of having to earn their living by art-work somehow, either as easel painters or, more commonly, as advertising artists, illustrators, fashion designers — to say nothing of the sculptors, wood engravers and typographers.

Joshing aside, the article moves on to demonstrate an alignment with today's cohort:

Most of them have the thought hanging over their heads that unless they do work at art school, and work hard, their chances of getting a job, and making a living, are pretty small. Many students work from eight or nine in the morning to nine or ten at night...

Before concluding:

In fact, the art student is a very different person indeed from what is usually imagined. Of course there are the snobs — the intellectual snobs especially — and the know-alls and the conceited "geniuses" who turn out to be flops. But generally speaking, as a class, art students are just solid hard workers, as keen to learn all there is to know about their job as any engineer or architect.

What kind of designer are you?

Have a look at this website created by Manchester's Code Computerlove. They are renown as one of the UK's best digital agencies, so have a look at them.

Their What kind of designer are you? website is for fun, but as they say, it might just help you clarify what kind of designer you are, and what path you may then take...

As an aside it also has an excellent reading list. Always a bonus.

Ben Tallon interviews Jack Renwick

Having spoken on the same day at conference week, Ben Tallon took the opportunity to interview Jack Renwick for his podcast Arrest All Mimics. Have a listen.

Both of their talks are available at the Uclan Graphic Design group's video page.

Jack has some great insights on what she looks for in new talent and tells some good stories of getting started herself.

Make sure to follow the podcast, as Andy B has also recorded an interview to be available shortly. 

Year 1 Graphics - packaging

Here we feature a few of the creative packaging solutions by our Year 1 students. 

Staff were impressed with the overall idea generation and nearly every student had a good solid idea that they could build upon. In most cases it was just a matter of crafting and making better mock ups.

Google Digital Garage: free digital skills classes

Google has opened a Digital Garage in Manchester to help people improve their digital skills for free. It will be open seven days a week for a year, having opened on King Street in the city centre on Monday.

Anyone can get free face-to-face coaching or join-up to courses in online tools. Courses on offer include coding and social media, from beginner to intermediate levels.

Available courses are here.

Anyone can sign up for free classes here.