The BA (Hons) Graphic Design Programme encourages distinctive voices in communication practice. Alongside our sister programme, Digital Design & Advertising, our projects and programme ethos goes far beyond the aesthetic of design layout and typography. To be a graphic designer from The Northern, is to be a design communicator, a visionary and design specialist. The world and the way we understand, inhabit and navigate it, are changing and it’s the very nature of this that requires our students to rethink, question and constantly challenge the purpose graphic communication serves in society.
Our programme, promotes changemakers, we rethink what we know, we question what we do, and we challenge the world as we know it, through cutting edge design, through expansive experimentation, through new ideas and through our community. Collectively, as a design studio from the moment our students arrive, we make work that matters.
This degree emphasises mixed-media experimental work as well as real-world creative problem solving. Through live briefs students will develop industry relevant digital and analogue skills. If you are interested in the graphic design of branding, advertising, communication, typography and digital artwork this course is for you. As well as offering a conceptual approach to design through mixed-media, analogue and digital technology we offer areas of specialties including:
• Visual communication
• Image-making & illustration
• Printmaking (letterpress, risograph & screen printing)
• Editorial design
• Branding
• Advertising
• Typography
• Packaging
• Motion graphics
Awards
Creative Conscience 2022: Winner, Impact Category
Creative Conscience 2022: Winner, Mental Health Category
D&AD 2022 New Blood: The Portfolios, Graphic Design
D&AD 2022 New Blood: The Portfolios, Mixed Discipline
Creative Conscience 2021: Winner, Human Rights Category
Through this course you will have access to a wide range of industry standard equipment and software including a print studio. You will be allocated a design space in a large graphic design studio and have access to your own personal iMac throughout your three years of study.
You will be working in a creative community surrounded by fellow designers, programmers, creatives, artists and illustrators. Engaging in regular workshops, technical demonstrations and critiques with tutors. During the degree, you will be encouraged to submit to national and international competitions, such as Design & Art Direction (D&AD) and Young Creative Network (YCN) Regular live projects and guest speakers form industry will enhance your portfolio and learning. Collaborative projects and placement opportunities are encouraged during your study to establish yourself as an emerging designer within this growing and fast paced industry.
You will have the opportunity to develop and incorporate other areas in to graphic design such as photography, digital media and print-making. Once you have developed your base knowledge within graphic design, you will build your own design direction as you begin to specialise in your chosen field. Your final year is more industry-focused as you begin independent and self-directed projects, developing your individual voice as a designer.
Level 4
• Creative Processes and Experimentation
• Conceptual Advertising
• Creative Thinking
• Visual Communication
• Design Impact
Level 5
• Advanced Digital Production
• Advertising Communications
• Design Innovation
• Future Industries
Level 6
• Project Research and Preparation
• Dissertation / Report
• Final Major Project
• Final Show and Portfolio
Our school engages with a wide range of partners working across each creative sub-sector to ensure that teaching and learning are in line with the latest developments in and requirements of industry, including:
Beccy Owen
Beccy is the Creative Director of The Creative Alchemist – a design and branding agency. Clients are varied and diverse, ranging from global brands to start-ups and not-for-profits. One of their clients is our own fine art alumnus Mackenzie Thorpe whose work is known and bought across the world. Creative Alchemist
Dom Bailey
Dom is a cheerleader for the power of design to make change. Cultural change, organisational change, perception change: design can positively affect all of these things.
He has been applying design to help clients make positive change in arts and culture, education, architecture and technology for 25 years. It’s a commitment he has put into practice for organisations including Oxford University Press, London Symphony Orchestra, NSPCC and as trustee of Theatre for a Change, a rights charity committed to social change around the world. Baxter and Bailey
Jimmy Turrell
Jimmy Turrell is a graphic artist and videographer, born in Newcastle and raised in the Byker Wall. Growing up in Newcastle he went on to study at Central St Martin’s. His credits include being the creative director behind the music video ‘WOW’ for multiple Grammy Award winning recording artist, Beck. He also designed the cover and artwork for Beck’s last two albums, ‘Colours’ and ‘Hyperspace’. He has worked on creative campaigns for clients such as Adidas, Nike, Fiat, GQ, Vanity Fair, Levis, MTV and BBC Radio 1 to name just a few and his work has been seen around the world. Jimmy has worked with The School and its students for several years and has offered valuable experiences such as live projects for national magazines. Illustrator & Artist
Dave Sedgwick
StudioDBD are an independent design studio based in Manchester who specialise in creating and nurturing brands.Dave has worked in the design industry for over 20 years. Starting out as a junior designer, he worked his way through the ranks at various agencies before founding his own practice in 2011. He has won awards for his design work, including a prestigious D&AD pencil. He has lectured at a number of Universities and design events, he has also had his work published in magazines and books.
The studio focuses mainly on brand design, which includes the creation of typography, illustration, logo design, print work, digital work and various other forms of design. Dave believes the most important thing is to be able to enjoy your work, connect with nice, decent and honest people and not take yourself too seriously.
Guest Speakers
• Jimmy Turrell – Graphic Designer
• Studio Pensom - Newcastle
• Burberry – London
• Greater Goods - Jaimus Taylor, London
• Studio DBD Manchester
• Kelly Anna, - London
• Graham Wood - Tomato, London
• Music - Design Studio, Manchester
• Catherine Kay, Illustrator
• Better Studio, Middlesbrough
• Creative Alchemist, Middlesbrough
• Pann Lim, Holycrap, Rubbish Famezine, Singapore
• Glug Graphic Design Festival Virtual Event Part 1 & 2
• Ensemble, Aaron Blythe;
• WORKS, Mark Lucas
• Raissa Pardini
Your portfolio is a visual statement it says a lot about an applicant and their practice. The advice below is not meant to be restrictive but rather offers some simple advice to help you prepare for your interview.
What we like to see
Examples of finished design work presented to a good standard. Work-in-progress including developmental drawing, design thinking, alternative ideas, solutions and proposals. The portfolio should indicate an interest in images and type/lettering.
Please include work such as:
• Photography
• Drawing
• Illustration
• Painting
• 3D Work (can be photographed)
• Short Stories and/or Poetry
• Web Design and Blogging
• Other on-line presence (design and visual arts related) e.g. Instagram, DeviantArt, Flickr, Behance, etc.
Digital Work
You can also include film/animation/ interactive work. If so, please make sure that you provide correctly formatted files and that the work can be played/showed on Mac computers. Alternatively bring your own laptop or tablet.
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Student Voice
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STAFF
OLIVIA BURTON
Faculty Leader
Olivia joined The Northern School of Art at the beginning of 2017, after working in industry for over ten years. Olivia's career began with her working with a number of leading graphic design and advertising agencies.
Olivia’s most recent role in the industry focused on internationalising a design and fit out company. Olivia led the brand campaign in the Middle East, managing a design team and leading international design projects for the hospitality industry.
Operating freelance, Olivia developed an online design business to promote local and emerging design practitioners, winning a number of national and entrepreneurial awards. She is a regular guest speaker at Digital Leaders and Woman in Digital and had worked as an enterprise mentor.
Olivia’s own practice has a digital focus. She is interested in digital and motion graphics and Olivia’s expertise is in research-driven, commercially orientated design. Her keen interest is in the area where design meets business. Olivia’s skills lie in developing the student’s ability to design commercially aware graphic and digital solutions.
Qualifications: BA (Hons), MA, (Studying PhD), CIM, FHEA
PAUL CLAY
Lecturer
Paul Clay joined The Northern School of Art 2009 after working in industry for over ten years. Paul is currently a senior lecturer, working across both the Graphic Design and Digital Design & Advertising programmes.
Prior to joining The Northern, Paul worked for a wide range of design agencies and high profile clients as an in-house senior graphic designer across the North East, bringing with him a wealth of experience upon joining The Northern School of Art.
Paul’s current work is occupied with design research and practice, focusing on community history and design for social good. Paul develops his portfolio working with local charities, in both raising awareness and proceeds to challenge social issues and promoting design for change.
Qualifications BA (Hons) PGCE, FHEA
OWEN WADDINGTON
Lecturer
Owen joined The Northern School of Art after working in multiple industry roles for almost 5 years. Owen is currently working across both the Graphic Design and Digital Design & Advertising programmes.
Owen works with a social conscious - using creativity in order to create real world change. Prior roles in industry have allowed Owen to explore commercial graphic design with an ethical and social focus for Newcastle based Sail Creative, Sail’s focus was to work with clients that are on the forefront of change and collaborate with those who recognise the value of creativity and partnerships in order to elevate their impact.
During his time at Sail they were recognised in Creative Boom’s top 15 places to work as a graphic designer in the UK, alongside the likes of Accept and Proceed, Spotify and DixonBaxi.
Owen is co-founder of [blank spacecraft] an experimental creative studio. Works include graphic collections, experimental typographic image making through creative destruction and also developments into 3D and motion. He has also researched the meanings of limited edition and ways in which the design process can be challenged beyond the concept of a final outcome.
Qualifications: BA (Hons), MA
JAKE HOLLINGS
Lecturer
Jake Hollings is a multidisciplinary graphic artist with an emphasis on illustration, graphic image making and print. He has created visuals for a range of clients within the music industry as well as editorial illustration, textile print design and self-published works.
Selected clients include BBC Music Introducing, Glasgow Film Festival, The Guardian, Culture Trip and Sony Music. He has had various self-published books and textiles stocked globally, including Draw Down Books, Slow Down Studio, We Occupy and Fine Little Day.
Jake specialises in analogue image making techniques and printmaking for commercial contexts, often utilising Risograph and silkscreen printing to inform his visual language. He won a D&AD New Blood award in 2015 before completing an MA in Creative Practice from Leeds Arts University.
Qualifications: BA (Hons), MA
KATHRYN BELL
Technician/Demonstrator
Kathryn Bell is an artist and print technician working in the North East of England, where she graduated with a first-class honours degree in Fine Art.
Kathryn is an experienced print technician who demonstrates print techniques to students in Graphic Design, Illustration and across the school. Her own work mostly includes relief, screen print and cyanotype, often combing a mixture of these processes to create hybrid prints.
Kathryn is active in keeping up to date with printmaking trends and opportunities and uses this information to support students to access exciting opportunities.
Kathryn is a member of People of Print, a community of printmakers, illustrators and graphic designers who are outstanding in their field. She regularly exhibits and sells her work around the UK and permanently in a store in Durham City.
Kathryn is a featured printmaker with Green Door Printmaking Studio (International Print Exchange) and regularly participates in the Cascade Print Exchange (USA).
Qualifications: BA (Hons)
CAREER PATHS
This degree is for you if you wish to have a career in:
