Félix Vanneste – Graphic Design
« I earn my living thanks to graphic design! »
After realizing that my initial choice of study in sciences at the university did not suit me, I decided to engage in something that really appealed to me: working with computer-generated images, whether animated or not. On the advice of a friend who was studying at the Haute Ecole Albert Jacquard I had the opportunity to follow classes for one day to judge for myself what laid ahead of me. The first two hours I attended were enough for me to know that I wanted to stay there.
The steady pace, the graphic as well as technical diversity of projects and the way students are supervised and advised allow them to find their own communication style while keeping in mind the technical aspects and the clients that you will later encounter in working life. Despite the technical name of the degree, the graphic aspect is never forgotten; on the contrary, it is encouraged, which, in my opinion, represents a major asset for the future. It is the most exciting part of the job!
The supervision is very complete and varied. Indeed, according to the teachers and the subject concerned, the approach is each time different and thus enriching. I think that benefiting from the experience from people who are active in the industry is reassuring and prevents the training from becoming obsolete.
The training is really on the same wavelength as the work environment, and we realize that right from the first work experience. The technical level is very high and allows you to feel at ease from the very first work days. We were taught to be curious and to try to be constantly in tune with the graphic industry, which allowed me to bring a fresh new look to the team and its production.
I realize that few institutions manage to combine graphic and technical aspects so efficiently, which often implies that there are gaps in their training on one level or the other. Moreover I have the feeling that, despite a short curriculum and some essential objectives to achieve, the teachers and the courses allow students to open up to a lot of things and to specialize in some of them later on, which is not the case in all institutions.
The day after graduation, a teacher offered me a three-week replacement job at UCB, a pharmaceutical company, that I directly accepted. They then hired me until the end of my contract end of December 2006, which they couldn’t renew as they were in the middle of an acquisition process.
After taking the time to develop my own website and my portfolio, I started looking for a creation studio which would meet my expectations. I did a one-month placement with ARC, an advertising agency, in order to get a job there after that, but I realized that the work did not suit me, even if the placement went very well. So I am currently looking for a studio which would suit me and I am working as a freelance for my former employer, UCB, as well as for various clients that I am gradually attracting. I hope I can find a position that suits me while keeping some clients as a freelance and I would like to start evening classes in drawing. I’ve been living in Brussels since September and I earn my living thanks to graphic design!
