Dom Edwards: Creative confidence & collaboration
INTRODUCTION
Co-founder of The Arena, Dom is a British/French creative working at the intersection of graphic design and brand strategy.
After graduating from The University of Portsmouth in 2018, Dom volunteered as a printmaker at the London Centre for Book Arts, before joining Ascend Studio.
He currently works within the world of branding and is driven by the power of collaboration. He loves to cycle, read and eat too much cheese (thanks to his French mother and family).
Photo by: Matthew Johnson
Alright then bookworm, here’s a question you’ll hate… What are the top 3 books in your library - go!
Ah this is like asking which of your children do you prefer (I wouldn’t actually know that feeling but can imagine it’s similar). If I had to choose - not in any particular order - then I’d go for:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, Douglas Adams
Start With Why, Simon Sinek
Daring Greatly, Brené Brown
What’s your morning routine like?
For the most part of 2020, I wasn’t in a good routine at all. I rolled out of bed, straight onto the screen, and stayed there all day. Even thinking about it now makes me feel a little uneasy actually.
This year however, my routine has been so much better. I don’t care if you knock it, but yoga is a godsend. Every morning, the first thing I do before breakfast is 10-15 mins of yoga and stretching. I’ve also jumped on the virtual cycling bandwagon, so I might also do a quick Zwift session before starting the working day.
© Dom Edwards - Humanising Data (Printing with Bike Parts)
What advice would you give to current final year students, in order to get the most of their concluding year?
Your final year becomes even more independently driven, so it’s down to you to make the most of it. Get good at managing your time and focus on getting your money’s worth.
On reflection, my best bit of advice would be to spend less time worrying about getting a first and more on making lasting relationships. That’s really easy for me to say with hindsight by the way. I was utterly driven by trying to be the best ‘designer’ (whatever that means) and to get the best grades.
However, you’ll soon come to learn that building a creative career is all about who you know. As much as you might think you’re going into the industry alone, you’re not. The people you’re surrounded with now aren’t your competition, but your opportunities for collaboration in the future. The more of those you have, the happier your career will be.
“The people you’re surrounded with now aren’t your competition, but your opportunities for collaboration in the future.”
What was the biggest misconception you’d say you had coming out of university?
That it was going to be easy to get a job. It wasn’t. If you haven’t read The Arena story yet (you should) then you’ll find both Ben and I, like many of us, faced struggles after graduating that no one prepares you for. To some extent, I can see why. Universities don’t want to set their young and ambitious grads off into the industry, knowing that they’re likely to fall flat on their arse before getting anywhere.
I like bikes so here’s an analogy; you won’t ever ride a bike without falling off. I think we can all understand that and it applies to the creative industry. You won’t have a creative career without comparing yourself to others, failing to come up with ideas or getting rejected for a job.
Believe it or not, Ben’s the brutal one out of the three of us. But this is the truth and I think we could all do with being aware of it. The important thing to take away however, is that all of us have had these struggles, so we can all support one another through it.
© Ascend Studio / Museum of Freemasonry - Wayfinding icons
How valuable has The Arena been for you over the last 12 months, both professionally and mentally?
Hands down, it’s one of the few things that has kept me motivated and driven throughout the carnage. The Arena for me has always been about other people. I could never have predicted just how uplifting and inspiring it is to meet and truly get to know other creatives beyond the screen.
Mentally and physically, it gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Professionally, the most valuable thing I’ve got out of it so far is confidence. The Arena has been a playground for experimenting in a whole host of different disciplines. From web and motion design to writing content and interviewing guests. My writing may not have improved that much... but my confidence has definitely grown in design and with people.
“The Arena for me has always been about other people.”
Who is your dream interview guest?
Ha I’m still surprised when people say “yes” to wanting to be interviewed by us to be honest. It’s very difficult to pick just one, but if I had to choose it would probably be Simon Sinek. I can’t recommend his book ‘Start With Why’ enough. I’ve been forcing Lauren and Ben to read it for some time now, hopefully this will be the catalyst for them and you!
Logo monogram sketches
How do you approach a new branding project?
Oh a design question! That’s pretty juicy. My approach starts by jumping straight into research, which is one of the best bits of a branding project. Deconstructing briefs and then immersing yourself into all the details of your client’s background and problems is quite addictive.
Over the last few years, I’ve learnt all about the Freemasons, medical cannabis in the UK, how law firms operate and the future of office spaces. So I would say my approach to a new brand project is centred around heavy research, shortly followed by curiosity and a lot of questions. I’ve become fascinated with brand strategy and something I believe is really important for graphic designers to understand and become part of in the design process.
As a professional multitasker, juggling your full-time design job with running The Arena, what advice would you give anybody who’s struggling to balance their passion projects and day jobs?
Before I get to some advice that *might* help, I just want to point out that it is really hard. I’m not saying this to make me sound like a badass, but because I’m often struggling to balance it all. What makes it easier is being completely devoted to the running of The Arena and having a ridiculously supportive team.
The big question you need to ask yourself, that can be tricky to answer at times, is why you’re doing it. If for example, your passion project is similar to your day job, you might get tired of doing the same stuff all day and night. This isn’t because you’re not passionate about it, but because your mind and body need diversity.
“I’m not saying this to make me sound like a badass, but because I’m often struggling to balance it all.”
The beauty of The Arena is that for me, it’s not about the design. It’s about telling people's stories and sharing experiences. Sure I’ll still get caught up tweaking the typography on posts, but what I really lean into is the content. I realised I haven’t really answered the question… so here are some quick-fire tips that I’ve learnt along the way:
You do have the time, you just need to make it.
You are the biggest pressure on yourself, so learn to listen to your mind and body in order to keep ticking at a sustainable rate.
It’s meant to be fun.
© The Arena UK - Underfunded, Unappreciated, Unacceptable
What’s the most important lesson you learnt in 2020?
You’ll grow more confident and get through difficult times if you step out of your comfort zone and surround yourself with incredible people.
Recommended reading
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
Recommended listening
The Creative Rebels Podcast by David Speed & Adam Brazier
Recommended follow
Follow Dom
If you’d like to reach out to Dom, drop him an email on: dom@thearena.org.uk
