<p>Ceramic design graduates take their knowledge of materiality into an ever increasing range of creative professional careers from ceramic ‘craft’ practice, design practice and art practice, critical writing, commercial/retail and broader design professions, cultural trend-spotting and also working with both bespoke, batch and volume production.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The typical route into professional design practice within the ceramic industry, whether this be within the manufacturing sector, supply chain, service industries or retail, is clearly defined. Graduates will normally have refined and specialised their learning, practice and achievements within either, two dimensional surface pattern design or in three dimensional product/shape and form design. The two activities are clearly disparate and the individual skills and talents of the ceramic design graduate quite different. <br /><br />Industry will expect, as a pre-requisite, a ‘studio designer’ to posses as appropriate then, significant skills and creative awareness of particular computer based digital tools, substantial evidence of an in-depth knowledge and skill base in ceramic craft is less important within the professional world of the ‘industrial’ ceramic designer. Increasingly, leading manufacturing brands previously synonymous just within the ceramic tableware sector have expanded their product portfolio today, many complimenting ceramics with additional related houseware products for cooking, drinking and dining typically associated with other materials. <br /><br />In other words, graduates aspiring to work in the industrial sector need to demonstrate a transferability of their skills, an aptitude and talent to design three dimensional products in glass, metal, plastics or wood, within the broader context of ‘homewares’. <br /><br />Similarly, those designers concerned with two dimensional surface and pattern may be involved with the creative resolution of textile or paper-based products.<br /><br />A recent and exciting career path has emerged for the ceramic designer, major retail stores are increasingly developing their own brand/labelled products. ‘In-house’ design opportunities are now becoming common place, such roles often linked with global travel, whether this be liaising with off-shore manufacturers/suppliers or trend spotting in emerging economies and global trade fairs.<br /><br />The professional career of a ‘ceramic craft’ designer/maker or modern day craftsman potter/maker offers a rich model of practice that sustains creative autonomy and opportunity, often integrating into their professional lifestyle, freelance design work for industry with the development of an individual design brand, offering ‘design-led’ craft products, potentially for the hospitality and retail markets. <br /><br />They may develop a niche market appealing to specialist interests, promoting their work as unique, artisanal and handmade. Underpinning this profession is the expectation of an intimate and masterful understanding, knowledge, talent and skill of ceramic materials, processes and techniques employed by the individual designer. <br /><br />Increase in demand<br /><br />There is no doubt the modern consumer world is far more discriminatory than ever before. The increasing trend/popularity for handmade, crafted artifacts and products, as opposed to the sterility typically associated with manufactured goods, offers the individual ceramic designer/maker real commercial opportunity. Whether the product is for the discerning retail buyer/consumer or the next “on-trend” chef/restaurant.<br /><br />The global ceramic industry, and as a consequence the marketplace, have been the subject of evolutionary change in the last decade. The ceramics industry in the UK, for example with its centre in North Staffordshire, “The Potteries” has inevitably out of necessity, re-aligned itself. <br /><br />Those proactive and design-led UK brands intelligently and creatively respond to increasing volumes of overseas ‘cheaper’ imported products and inherent, relatively expensive manufacturing and labour costs. The introduction of new products underpinned by authenticity, integrity and provenance has further endorsed the global market requirement for ‘design-led’ high value ‘luxury’ aspirational products. <br /><br />As a consequence and aligned to the movement, new and exciting professional opportunities exist today for the entrepreneurial, enterprising, individual ceramic designer/producer in creating new brands, redefining established ceramic design and market opportunities, particularly through commercial partnerships and associations with small to medium sized manufacturers/factories.<br /><br /><em>(The author is a course leader in Ceramic Designing at Staffordshire University)</em></p>
<p>Ceramic design graduates take their knowledge of materiality into an ever increasing range of creative professional careers from ceramic ‘craft’ practice, design practice and art practice, critical writing, commercial/retail and broader design professions, cultural trend-spotting and also working with both bespoke, batch and volume production.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The typical route into professional design practice within the ceramic industry, whether this be within the manufacturing sector, supply chain, service industries or retail, is clearly defined. Graduates will normally have refined and specialised their learning, practice and achievements within either, two dimensional surface pattern design or in three dimensional product/shape and form design. The two activities are clearly disparate and the individual skills and talents of the ceramic design graduate quite different. <br /><br />Industry will expect, as a pre-requisite, a ‘studio designer’ to posses as appropriate then, significant skills and creative awareness of particular computer based digital tools, substantial evidence of an in-depth knowledge and skill base in ceramic craft is less important within the professional world of the ‘industrial’ ceramic designer. Increasingly, leading manufacturing brands previously synonymous just within the ceramic tableware sector have expanded their product portfolio today, many complimenting ceramics with additional related houseware products for cooking, drinking and dining typically associated with other materials. <br /><br />In other words, graduates aspiring to work in the industrial sector need to demonstrate a transferability of their skills, an aptitude and talent to design three dimensional products in glass, metal, plastics or wood, within the broader context of ‘homewares’. <br /><br />Similarly, those designers concerned with two dimensional surface and pattern may be involved with the creative resolution of textile or paper-based products.<br /><br />A recent and exciting career path has emerged for the ceramic designer, major retail stores are increasingly developing their own brand/labelled products. ‘In-house’ design opportunities are now becoming common place, such roles often linked with global travel, whether this be liaising with off-shore manufacturers/suppliers or trend spotting in emerging economies and global trade fairs.<br /><br />The professional career of a ‘ceramic craft’ designer/maker or modern day craftsman potter/maker offers a rich model of practice that sustains creative autonomy and opportunity, often integrating into their professional lifestyle, freelance design work for industry with the development of an individual design brand, offering ‘design-led’ craft products, potentially for the hospitality and retail markets. <br /><br />They may develop a niche market appealing to specialist interests, promoting their work as unique, artisanal and handmade. Underpinning this profession is the expectation of an intimate and masterful understanding, knowledge, talent and skill of ceramic materials, processes and techniques employed by the individual designer. <br /><br />Increase in demand<br /><br />There is no doubt the modern consumer world is far more discriminatory than ever before. The increasing trend/popularity for handmade, crafted artifacts and products, as opposed to the sterility typically associated with manufactured goods, offers the individual ceramic designer/maker real commercial opportunity. Whether the product is for the discerning retail buyer/consumer or the next “on-trend” chef/restaurant.<br /><br />The global ceramic industry, and as a consequence the marketplace, have been the subject of evolutionary change in the last decade. The ceramics industry in the UK, for example with its centre in North Staffordshire, “The Potteries” has inevitably out of necessity, re-aligned itself. <br /><br />Those proactive and design-led UK brands intelligently and creatively respond to increasing volumes of overseas ‘cheaper’ imported products and inherent, relatively expensive manufacturing and labour costs. The introduction of new products underpinned by authenticity, integrity and provenance has further endorsed the global market requirement for ‘design-led’ high value ‘luxury’ aspirational products. <br /><br />As a consequence and aligned to the movement, new and exciting professional opportunities exist today for the entrepreneurial, enterprising, individual ceramic designer/producer in creating new brands, redefining established ceramic design and market opportunities, particularly through commercial partnerships and associations with small to medium sized manufacturers/factories.<br /><br /><em>(The author is a course leader in Ceramic Designing at Staffordshire University)</em></p>
