What’s your specialism and why do you enjoy it?

My specialisms are branding, ideation and art direction. I love the conceptual side of design, the freedom of abstraction and the power of functionalism. Blending all of these qualities makes it a joy to design brand identities and to ideate abstract concepts for all purposes.

Who inspires you?

There are two important figures who have shaped my way of thinking. Firstly, Virgil Abloh and his constant looking forward towards the development of his work. I also love his method of using his old work to inspire new work. Secondly, Neri Oxman, for her experimental nature of trying anything and everything in her bio-architecture work.

What inspired your final project and what is it all about?

My final project was the creation of my design portfolio, the culmination of my best and most interesting works during my time at university. Funnily enough, the majority of the work in my design portfolio is quite recent, because up until a few months ago I was still working and endeavouring to ground myself and my understanding of graphic design. Now that I’ve managed to find a confident base, it has been easy to design eye-catching concepts in my favourite ‘abstract but functional’ style.

What have you enjoyed most throughout your course?

The freedom to approach each project from an entirely new direction, with access to rare and industry-standard facilities for free. The open-minded nature of the course is something that really benefited me, and the lecturer’s approach to teaching is both insightful and helpful.

What job role will you be looking for now that you’ve finished University?

I personally would like to gain some experience as a Junior Designer, whilst working to develop my art direction, ideation and conceptual thinking abilities. I’d love to work both with and in agencies that have a deeper passion for design, outside of simply making money. Inclusive and socially conscious agencies are where I’d ideally like to begin my career.

What are the biggest challenges you perceive going into industry?

At the moment, I’d definitely say breaking into the industry initially. As a student, the pandemic wiped away any ‘easy’ opportunities and the current climate certainly poses difficulties. With that said, I think it will be a challenge to keep your head above the water and not be drowned by the plethora of great designers competing with each other.

What advice would you give to students going into their first year in September?

When I design, I prefer to do what I like to call ‘exposure research’. Unlike traditional research, whereby you research for a specific brief, project or client, I like to constantly expose myself to as many ways of thinking and forms of art and design as possible. Do this! It expands your creative thinking and allows for really cool and abstract ideation. Your work will always stand out if you do so. I’d also recommend practising the software and tools you use, so you can gain prominence and speed.