Centres

SET Women - Leicestershire Women in Science Engineering & Technology

e-Book - Angela Chorley - Multimedia Designer

"For me being a designer is a lifestyle, not just a job . "

Although at first she did not consider herself a woman in SET, Angela admits that after consideration of the fact that she uses cutting edge computer technologies to create her designs, she realises she must be. But it wasn't always that way.

Her first job after earning her BA (Hons) in Graphic Design from De Montfort University (then Leicester Polytechnic) was as an illustrator with the Leicestershire Museums. "At that time the only technical tools in my possession were my set of Rotring pens! I spent much of my working day painstakingly drawing exhibits such as pots and knitting machines in black and white. This was before print became relatively cheap, and in those days a black and white line drawing reproduced far better than a photograph."

Angela says that her skills with the use of technology in her art came early in her career. Her first boss was very interested in computers and developed a program to generate TV captions on a BBC computer, one of the first home PCs. "I created the alphabet for the generator, and in doing so found that I had the levels of patience and perseverance required to really enjoy the process. Although it took months to build, we only used the caption generator for a while before a much better commercial system became available. And then came word processing, not as we know it today, but on a horrible green and black screen."

After a couple of years, she changed jobs to the University of Leicester's Audio Visual Services where she was the only designer producing art and publications for the university's diverse needs. During the twenty years she has been there, she has turned the design department into a team of nine design and photographic professionals using a suite of Apple computers and the best design technology money can buy. "With the invention of the Apple Macintosh computer, desktop publishing was born. This invention has dramatically affected my working life. Everything Ð photography, illustration, page layout Ð is created digitally, of astounding quality and in double quick time."

Being a manager has not taken the edge off of Angela's practical and artistic skills. "Colleagues are respectful of those who can also do the job." Admitting that she is still an artist at heart, Angela continues to do illustrations for books. And she finds it an essential part of her job to remain up-to-date with the latest advances in design technologies. "I am not a natural 'techie' and keeping abreast of everything has not been a breeze. However, I am noted for 'reading the manual' -- even while sitting on a Spanish beach on holiday -- instead of relying on intuition and bluff. To this simple fact I attribute my success, along with a little bit of talent!" She also says that good communication skills, bravery and an all-rounder's approach to the craft are essential skills for any designer.

Even as she has worked hard to become a successful designer, manager and mother, Angela feels very privileged to have built her career in a university environment and under a female boss. "I know that I might not have been able to sustain my career in the commercial world. The creative industry is generally youth and male dominated even now, and driven by constant deadlines. Creatives expect to work long into the night to complete work at short notice, and these working patterns do not fit in with trying to raise a family." She explains that many other successful women designers have either decided not to have children, chosen to be self-employed or have moved into public sectors where, compared to industry, she says there is "more tolerance and an awareness of equal opportunities."

There have been massive developments in print and design technology that have altered the profession over the twenty-five years Angela has been a designer; she feels strongly they have all been positive. "It's been a great time for designers and others in the creative industries, changing the perception of their roles from relatively lowly paid artisans to technical professionals. I could not have dreamt that this would be so when I first started my career and cannot imagine where it will end."

Learn more about Angela Chorley: www.le.ac.uk/avs

Image courtesy of Leicester University.