I believe that being curious about the world around you ultimately always feeds into your own designs and practice. Collecting visual reference either when I’m travelling, exploring or looking at anything historical can form the foundation to a project. Both industrial and natural based imagery are great sources of inspiration. I love to combine a mix of own mark making, paper crafting and machine stitching to create pieces of artwork. I am passionate about typography. I collect vintage packaging and enjoy the typographic niceties that can be found.
During my professional career I have worked for publishing and graphic design agencies including Future Publishing, Dorling Kindersley and Silk Pearce. Where I produced a varied body of design work, such as wayfinding and environmental graphics, packaging, editorial design, branding and identity design for clients including Arjo Wiggins, Asda and Royal Mail and others from the scientific, technology and arts sectors.
I have been lecturing for over two decades and have a vast knowledge of teaching and assessing under-graduates across all three year levels in publishing and graphic design at Norwich University of the Arts. I teach on projects that cover UX, moving image, branding, identity, packaging, advertising and editorial design. Having graduated from this well renowned art school myself, I instil the same conceptual way of thinking in my students as was taught to me when I began as a designer.
In my teaching I emphasise the importance of collating relevant visual research to use as reference to create unique ideas. This visual research ideally comes from a mixture of sources which include own drawings. Similarly, typography should never be overlooked. Experimental typography and creatively using type to visually suggest a subject’s theme is an exciting possibility to bring to any piece of work. Sketching out thoughts on paper and in-depth experimentation at the development stage of a project helps to achieve creative outcomes. Student self-evaluation of design work and the ability to achieve a strong aesthetic is a skill that develops over time.
Supporting and encouraging students through their course and seeing them create great design work is incredibly rewarding. I hope to continue forging these creative and collaborative communities at OCA which are vital to student success and design development.
I am also a regular attendee and contributor to events at the St. Bride Foundation, London, which has become a haven for graphic designers and educators seeking shared discourse on the cultural significance of printing and publishing matters.
