Students from BA (Hons) Graphic Design, BA (Hons) Illustration and BA (Hons) Visual Communication exhibited final year work at the graduate showcase, held at the Old Truman Brewery, London.
The New Blood Festival brings together top talent from universities across the country, giving students the opportunity to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals.
We caught up with some of the AUB students exhibiting at his year’s festival:
IMOGEN MEPHAM - GRAPHIC DESIGN
Can you tell us a little about your work?
My project is about destruction, and the different types of destruction. It’s called Ode to Destruction, and it looks at different types of destruction, physical and mental. I’ve done another project recently as well, which was for the Student Design Awards, which I was shortlisted for, which was great!
How have you found the last three years at AUB?
The last three years have been amazing, very educational and I’ve learnt a lot through the years, and it’s been so amazing to watch myself grow as a person and as a designer.
What are your plans for the future?
To apply for jobs and see where the world takes me.
RANIA QADDORA - GRAPHIC DESIGN
Can you tell us a little about your work?
I pick a lot of serious projects in my graphic design work, but I like to try and put a fun twist on them. I’ve done work with cards against humanity linked with Movember, on male mental health. I recently did a project about our climate footprint and how we would be able to track that. I recently did a project about ketchup, there’s so much you can do with graphic design.
How have you found the last three years at AUB?
They’ve been amazing, obviously it’s a massive learning experience, so you go through the motions a bit. I actually did a Foundation at AUB as well. It’s been great; the best four years of my life. I’m excited to see what happens next.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m hoping to snap a junior designer role, but I just have to see what happens, work this event as well as possible and hope I can get picked up by an agency.
JAKE ALEXANDER - ILLUSTRATION
Can you tell us a little about your work?
I have written and illustrated a children’s book, which is about racism and tries to help children understand racism from an early age.
How have you found the last three years at AUB?
Amazing, it’s really helped me focus my practice, I’ve made lifelong friends, I’ve learnt so much about myself as a person and as an illustrator. I always feel like I’ve been really supported by the lecturers on the course, which is a really great feeling to have.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to spend some time looking into working freelance, I’ve been speaking to a couple of publishers about my book, so it will be really interesting to see how that progresses and to go from there.
GRACE LANKSBURY - ILLUSTRATION
Can you tell us a little about your work?
I did a wordless narrative, telling the stories of the elderly and their experience during World War II. I interviewed people from care homes, to find out their stories and then created a collection of characters, which were then made into a book.
How have you found the last three years at AUB?
Amazing! I’ve learnt so much, I’ve had so much fun and I’m sad to leave. I am ready to leave though; the course has taught me so much and prepared me for my professional life after uni.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m going to freelance for a while, I have looked into some agencies and have been contacting them, and I’ve been submitting my work to magazines. For now, I’m just happy to see what happens and where it takes me.
GEORGINA SEWELL - VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Can you tell us a little about your work?
My work to date includes typography, editorial design, image generation, graphic and screen-based design. I have primarily focussed on the intricacies of language. I am fascinated by semantic systems, techniques and their historic influences, as well as variation across different cultures.
My Final Major Project is a typographic representation of Hamlet’s Act 3: Scene 1 “To be, or not to be:” soliloquy by William Shakespeare. Using the interpretations of four actors – Kenneth Branagh, David Tennant, Benedict Cumberbatch and Maxine Peake – it visually exhibits the adaptation of written script to stage and film. The piece demonstrates the relationship between written and oral language and the contrast with the way in which Shakespeare intended the speech to be performed, using the system of iambic pentameter (rhythm in speech).
How have you found the last three years at AUB?
Each year of study built substantially on the one before and ensured that I was continuously inspired to develop my individual style and approach. At AUB I have been able to explore industry-standard software and technologies, and experience book binding and hands-on methods of printing such as letterpress, monoprinting and screen printing. Having also been exposed to the expertise of inspirational internal and visiting tutors, guest speakers and extensive outside agencies, my understanding of various creative practices has been enhanced.
Whilst studying LUCA School of Arts in Gent, Belgium for the majority of my second year, and taking the opportunity to travel to neighbouring countries, I was able to experience different approaches to visual communication. I chose to study in Belgium because of the range of languages and cultures that make up the country.
The final year was crucial in identifying particular interests within my practice. More freedom and flexible projects provided me with the opportunity to establish rhythm and control in the development of my work.
What are your plans for the future?
In order to build clarity around the way in which my creative thinking, skills and craftsmanship can be applied in an industrial setting, I plan to gain experience with design agencies. This will also help me to observe and understand the nuances in approaches and ways of working across the creative industry. From this, I see myself having a more developed commercial appreciation of my abilities which will provide leverage to bring a fresh perspective to the activities of a future employer.
It genuinely excites me to continue to advance and expand my understanding of visual and graphic communication, and I very much look forward to immersing myself in the industry.
MAYA SUMMERS - VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Can you tell us a little about your work?
For my FMP I looked at people with allergies and creating an app designed to be effective with eateries, cafés and restaurants. So, I looked at the fatalities that happened, specifically with Pret A Manger where the girl died on the plane.
The app is designed for people to scan the menu and the database brings up what allergen information is in each of the dishes.
How have you found the last three years at AUB?
It’s been amazing, I have taken every opportunity that has been available to me. I’m a student ambassador, so I’ve been involved with that as well. The course has been amazing and I’ve enjoyed spending my time with such a tight knit community of people.
What are your plans for the future?
I am looking for internships at the moment, which I hope to do for the rest of this year, I am going to try and network as much as possible and then hopefully get a job in the new year.
Take a look at more information about our BA (Hons) Degree courses at AUB here.
