BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Seb Picken is the recipient of The Sarah Cowell Design Achievement Award, which was created in memory of Sarah Cowell, a student who harnessed design to make a true impact, attempting to make the world a better place. The Design Impact Award is given to the student who has produced a body of work which aims to have a positive impact.
Lecturers noted, “Seb has been an outstanding student across the last three years, excelling in every creative output from brand to editorial, but her work really came to the fore when she began to explore motion. Working across After Effects, Blender and TouchDesigner to create immersive motion graphics has helped her develop a style that is truly hers. Seb works with the intention of creating change and strives to amplify the voices of the marginalised. We have been lucky to have her.”
Seb Picken, a 21-year-old from Newton Aycliffe, said, “It was an honour to receive the award. Being a designer who is often thinking about the influence that my work could have on the world in one way or another, I felt incredibly proud that I received recognition for this project.”
For Seb’s FMP, she aimed to raise awareness around the gender disparity within the design industry, “in particular, design festivals. Named Three Three Four, my project is a design festival that aims to provide a platform for the voices of female, non-binary and gender non-conforming designers. The name Three Three Four is based on the statistic that 66.6% of design festivals are male-dominated, which negatively affects marginalised designers within the industry, as their experiences and opinions are often overlooked. The festival is also focused on the idea of accessibility, with talks being available both online and in person. I focused on branding, motion and 3D design to create the dynamic visuals for the festival. There were several outcomes, such as social media design, venue design, advertisements, merchandising and brand guidelines. I wanted the visuals to feel reactive, so I created lots of snappy motion design using the festival logo.”
Reflecting on her time on the programme, Seb said, “I really enjoyed the three years that I was on the course. It allowed me to meet some amazing people and truly explore who I am as a creative. I have changed so much as a designer from my first year, both within the visuals of my design and my knowledge and taste in design, which can be owed to the different workshops that I have taken part in throughout the course. The workshops surrounding motion design in After Effects, Cavalry and TouchDesigner have definitely inspired me the most and influenced my career ambitions of being a freelance motion designer.”
“My favourite memory from my time here is the studio in second year and the workshops that took place. The workshops were always a lot of fun, experimental and light-hearted, like having to brand a carrot in a day or projecting motion onto a can. Some of the best laughs came from second year, and also some of my favourite briefs and projects.”
When asked what her advice would be for a student starting out, she said, “Advice I would give would be to avoid limiting yourself to just one skill or sector within design – especially at the beginning of the course. Try everything throughout first and second year, as that will be the time when you can truly figure out the areas of design that you resonate with the most. I found that I progressed the most in how my design work looked, but also in my confidence in my work, when I explored a new skill in a project. I would also say utilise the minds around you and ask for feedback and ideas, as I found my best ideas would evolve from brainstorming with others.”
Reflecting on living in Hartlepool, she said, “My top tip for living in Hartlepool is to visit the parks and really connect with nature. With my work being primarily digital-based and finding myself looking at a screen for hours on end, I always find taking a break to feed the ducks at Ward Jackson Park to be a good way to recalibrate.”