A graphic design degree truly fit for the 21st Century. That was the ambitious goal that programme leader Jenna Gardner set herself. Enlisting the help of respected professional designers, Sophie Green, founder and Director of Soka, and Luigi Carnovale, founder and Director of Design LSC, they talk to us about the new course, their inspiration, and their belief in the power of great, sustainable graphic design.
So, why graphic design…?
Sophie: I was always quite ‘arty’ as a child, but I also had a strong interest in psychology and English. My teachers and family encouraged me to look at graphic design as a career. At university I was inspired by a class trip to New York in first year. We attended a conference with two graphic design legends, Bob Gill and Milton Glaser. Their concept-driven approach to design hugely appealed to me. To me, the sheer simplicity of Glaser’s ‘I ♥ NY’ identity summarises everything that good graphic design should be. I also came across Paula Scher, the first female partner at Pentagram. I absolutely loved her work, her approach – and the fact that she paved the way as for women as the first female partner of a global design agency. Her New York Ballet identity was pretty lovely!
Jenna: I knew at school that I wanted to be a graphic designer, too. I absolutely loved my graphics and art lessons, they were the highlight of my week! Creative problem-solving, and working with text and imagery to communicate messages just ignited something inside me. I loved the work of female graphic designers like Susan Kare and Margaret Calvert, who created graphic designs that helped people to navigate a visually-saturated world. Things like icons for computer systems or pictograms for road signage. I was amazed that complex messages and information could be reduced to such simple imagery that communicated even across language barriers. They also inspired me to believe that women could achieve in what was then a male-dominated industry.
I was fortunate enough to have parents who supported my choice. There’s never been a better time to study towards a creative degree, and there’s no shortage of jobs in the sector.
Luigi: I would spend summer holidays visiting family in Milan. I was always struck by the style of the magazine covers that I would see on newsstands and in shops. I’d return home with beautifully-designed travel guides, books, magazines, and very cool t-shirts. My uncle lived in Milan, on an avenue lined with beautiful boutiques and restaurants. Every shop was uniquely different, yet they all looked stylish. The signs, the window displays, the details. My cousins all read the magazines and would copy what the models in the ads were wearing. The magazines themselves were brighter and bigger. The photography was much more interesting, the layouts, the fonts, the advertisements; even the paper they used for the covers was different – heavier and not so glossy. I would tell my art teacher, Mrs Barnes, and one day she said, “Why don’t you make your own magazine cover?” I would cut out individual letters, arrange them to make a masthead, and then trace and colour them in. I would use photographs and coloured paper to create collages – mimicking much of the style I’d seen in the magazines I had brought home with me. I was good at art, and my teacher would encourage me to use acrylic paints, pastels, and charcoal – she would give me the key to the stockroom. I guess that was the start.
What is graphic design, then?
Sophie: Graphic design is visual communication. Good graphic design will communicate a message clearly and quickly. Exciting design is not just about typography, layout and colour. It’s about finding ways to present a message or concept in a visual format that hasn’t been done before.
Jenna: Graphic design is hugely important in defining our national visual culture and identity. It’s a powerful tool for organising and communicating information. Graphic design has been responsible for some of the most iconic and lasting designs that we remember, from protest posters to famous album covers and adverts that change the way we think about the world.
Luigi: In 2024, successful and sustainable graphic design is a blend of creativity and technology, underpinned by design craft. Graphic design today is no different than when I started out. It requires designers to be adaptable, curious, and continuously open to learning about the world around them – embracing both traditional techniques and new technologies. It’s about engaging with people of all cultures, traveling, reading and re-reading, and always striving to improve – all within a rapidly changing landscape.
What’s different about the course you’ve designed?
Jenna: I wanted a forward-looking and optimistic graphic design programme. I know that there are a lot of things happening in the world which can sometimes seem overwhelming, but I want people to see design as a force for good and for change. I also want people to be able to explore their creativity and try new things on their degree journey, so there’s real variety. My own research looks at future trends, so the programme provides lots of opportunities to boost employability skills through live projects, guest speakers, trips and visits. The content on the programme is always current, cutting edge. Digital skills will be very important, so this is embedded throughout the degree.
Luigi: I’ve always been deeply invested in Design Craft and its importance in graphic design. Design Craft involves the actual making and manipulation of materials, providing a solid foundation in technical skills. These skills include using various tools relevant to the design process, handling different materials and understanding their properties and potential applications, and constructing and assembling prototypes for testing and refining proportion, colour, and composition. The skills and knowledge graphic designers develop through Design Craft enable them to understand design for functionality, usability, and aesthetics. This is essential for creating designs that last and are sustainable. Design Craft brings knowledge in various design fields, including typography, graphic design, editorial design, packaging design, branding, design for exhibitions and way-finding, and visual communication.
Sophie: I focused on the Creative Business module. Students will develop professional skills and learn how to engage with industry. They’ll have the opportunity to develop an online presence or a start-up design business/company. We also made sure that basic animation skills have been incorporated into the optional Motion Graphics module, which are really useful, and stressed the importance of fully-developed foundational skills, which have been built into the Digital Design module.
What are the highlights of your professional portfolio?
Sophie: There are five of us in-house – designers, developers and account managers. I’m really proud of our ongoing work with international beauty brands Iconic London and Rodial. We began working with Iconic eight years ago. They’re now a global company, but still choose to work with my small agency for their packaging and promotional graphics. I also love our website design for the Knepp Estate, pioneers of rewilding, featured often in David Attenborough documentaries. When they chose us to produce their new website, I was beyond proud. It meant that the work we’d done up until that point was good enough for them to want to work with us. It was also a project where we knew we were designing for the good of the planet, not just for someone’s commercial gain.
Jenna: Themes of iconography and gender equity feature in my visual work. I’m most proud of a font family called Stereotype that I designed around ten years ago. It explored gender stereotyping in pictogram design.
You can’t deny that graphic design plays a role in over-consumption and consumerism, though. I believe that the future graphic designer will be more responsible, ethical, and considerate of the impact of their work on society and the environment. The degree provides many opportunities to explore these critical ideas.
Finally, what do you think makes a good graphic designer?
Sophie: An attention to the details, an ability to deconstruct and empathise with a creative brief, an aspiration to produce unique and engaging work, an excellent understanding of visual hierarchy.
Jenna: I’m looking for students who want to use the power of design to transform and shape the world, to communicate ideas and information to help others. The most important attributes of a graphic design student are an openness to experiment, optimism about change, and a desire to communicate ideas effectively.
Luigi: I seek graphic designers who are genuinely curious about both the natural and designed world. They should have a strong desire to improve the environments around them. It’s important to take pride in themselves, their work, and their interests outside of design. Design studio leaders look for individuals who can enhance their team and inspire others. I look for qualities in graphic designers that have less to do with how good they are on ‘the tools’, and more about how interested they are in understanding the essence of a brief, to truly get under its skin.
Jenna: I want students to bring themselves into their design work. Their unique personality, their beliefs and ideas, their style: this is what will make their work distinctive and meaningful.
Find out more about our new Graphic Design degree
August 12, 2024
