Graphic Design graduates talk about life in the world of design

Meera Mistry has always shown a creative streak and following her recent graduation from BA (Hons) Graphic Design, she is now tackling the design industry head-on, gaining agency experience in her pursuit of a career in app & tablet design and video/ social marketing.

“My passion for the arts, design and media motivated my secondary education choices, and I continued with BTEC Foundation Studies in Art & Design followed by a BA (Hons) degree in Graphic Design at the University ofLincoln, which saw my work recognised by the International Society of Typographic Designers (pass) and the RSA (shortlisted) assessments, and the opportunity to exhibit my work at D&AD New Blood 2008.

“Knowing that professional experience would promote learning, development as a designer, awareness of and exposure to the reality of the design industry, my summer vacations during university and upon graduation were busy: I pro-actively knocked on studio doors for opportunities and sent out handmade self-promotion goodies to kick-start conversation. Travelling to various design agencies across the country for internships encouraged me to take new challenges and step out of my comfort zones.

“My work has therefore been wide-ranging since my position at Alight Digital Design Agency working on name and brand identity for new companies; brand guidelines; graphic design; digital strategy; web design (including User Experience and User Interface) for showcase; E-commerce; CMS and portfolio websites across small to large clients. I am currently freelancing print, web and personal projects, as well as self-training in video and animation production.

“I take inspiration from many sources when generating ideas and designing: random conversations with friends and family; society; moaning; photos; quirky social events; films; fashion; food packaging; music; media; personal experiences. In short, the more random and wittier, the better!  As for the present, I am continuing to explore new areas in graphic and web, gaining broader agency experience and working towards a future in app/tablet design, video and social marketing.”

Fellow Graphic Design graduate Dan Haigh had this to say about his experience on Graphic Design at Lincoln: “At Lincoln I learnt to broaden my horizons and focus more on the concept behind a piece of work rather than just producing work that will look good and sell stuff.  Having just finished University, I needed a new challenge, some new/different experiences and have managed to get a job in China to broaden my horizons.

"Having rekindled my love for drawing on a recent project, drawing famous musicians, now I can’t put my sketch book down! I’m interested, and can work within all areas of design. I’ve used my education to work in different aspects of design to not pigeon-hole myself.”

Magnificent medieval stained glass back at Coventry Cathedral

Thousands of fragments of medieval stained glass which survived the bombing of Coventry Cathedral during the Second World War go today on public view for the first time in more than 70 years next week.

The Old Cathedral of St Michael at Coventry was bombed almost to destruction on 14 November 1940 and its ruins now sit alongside the city's modern cathedral. However, the historic building's magnificent stained glass survived the Blitz, having been removed and placed in storage in 1939. The glass has not been seen by the public since.

Now specialists from the University's renowned conservation consultancy division, Crick Smith, are working with World Monuments Fund Britain and Coventry Cathedral to restore and put back on public display the surviving pieces, which represent Britain’s largest collection of loose medieval stained glass.

The project involves cleaning and repairing an estimated 5,000 fragments of stained glass, many of which have degraded over time in storage. Some of the glass is by 15th century Coventry-based stained glass artist John Thornton, while other pieces date between the 15th and 19th centuries.

The meticulous work will be carried out by a team of experienced conservators from Crick Smith, joined by current students and graduates from our Conservation and Restoration programmes, in full view of the public in Coventry's Herbert Art Galleryand Museum. The project runs from 6 August 2012 to 31 October 2012, with another two months' work scheduled next summer.

The team will be working with stained glass historian Heather Gilderdale-Scott to identify and date the fragments, as well as building a database to record informatinn about the origin, condition and historical significance of the pieces, including photographs.

Ian Crick-Smith, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Lincolnand co-founder of Crick Smith, said: "For the first time the glass will be available for public viewing and for further research and study. When in the cathedral, the glass was predominantly at clerestory level or high within the east end apse. It was therefore not easily viewable. In the future the glass will be displayed in a way which will allow the public to view it closely.

"The centre of Coventryhas some very important historic buildings, yet it is often overlooked as a historic centre. The conservation of the stained glass and its prominence as a collection of historic artefacts will act as a focus for the rediscovery of historic Coventryand the regeneration of the historic quarter."

Dr Jonathan Foyle, CEO of World Monuments Fund Britain, and Honorary Doctor of the University said: "We are looking forward to an involving and fascinating project. Crick Smith were prepared to set up their stall in the centre of Coventryrather than remove the glass to a remote workshop. This public-faced conservation work is ideal, as it allows the citizens of Coventry and visitors to see the glass where it belongs, and share the discoveries. The access will encourage many to reflect anew on a rich historic environment that rewards curiosity and deserves investment."

Above image shows Prof Jonathan Foyle in the blue suit and World Monuments Fund Project Manager, Melissa Marshall to the right on the back row.

Back Row:
MA student Gemma Smart, Prof JF (WMF), York MA graduate Fran Scargill, Melissa Marshall (WMF)

Front Row:
MA Graduate Kelly Orange, MA student Josh Klieve, Graduate Diploma student Jean Lambe, BA 1st Yr student volunteer Laura Fox

To watch a short film by Prof. Jonathan Foyle talking about the project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_gapmUix20&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Young Creative Chevrolet Winner

Having won 1st Prize in the UK round, Contemporary Lens Media final year student Kenny van Mierlo is now representing the University with a 2nd place win in the video category of the overall European finals of this year's Young Creative Chevrolet competition! He will receive his prize in Los Angeles later this year.

The top-three European YCC 2012 winners per discipline will receive a total cash prize of (€5,200, €4,200 and €3,200, respectively) and be honored at a gala YCC award night to be held in Hollywood/ Los Angeles on 19 October.

YCC 2012 drew an unprecedented number of entries around this year's creative theme of opportunity and empowerment. Chevrolet received over 1,000 submissions from students representing 280 European applied art schools, also a new record. 

We are obviously very proud of Kenny, who joined us in the final year from our partner college Sint Lucas in Boxtell, The Netherlands.  This is by far the biggest prize that a student from Contemporary Lens Media has ever won!  You can watch his video by clicking on the above link; the above image is a still from the video.

D&AD success for Creative Advertising

Congratulations to Claire Stokes and Christina Smith from BA (Hons) Creative Advertising on winning a highly coveted D&AD Yellow Pencil. D&AD is one of the most prestigious international awards in advertising and to be recognised in this way is testament to the effort that the girls put into their work.

Hundreds of students from around the world enter into the competition and the standard of work is extremely high so to win amongst such company shows just how well they have done. The girls won the Digital Advertising category and the client for this year’s competition was Spotify. Claire and Christina came up with an idea that neatly tied together the strengths of Spotify and Facebook to create a campaign that rewarded music fans for their dedication.  

Cover of Digital Arts Magazine by Illustration graduate

Graduating BA (Hons) Illustration student Joe Mclean has just appeared in Digital Arts Magazine: the Graduate issue. 

Joe is from Norwich, Norfolk, and as an Illustrator he uses a combination of hand drawn lines, scanned textures, and Adobe Illustrator to create his work, which you can view by visiting his website.

Young Fashion manufacturing star

Charlotte Bryan, a graduate from BA (Hons) Fashion Studies in 2010 and from Sleaford in Lincolnshire has been announced as one of thirty young rising stars of the manufacturing world by Business Minister Mark Prisk.

The Make it in Great Britain ‘30 Under 30’ come from all walks of manufacturing and were selected by a panel of expert judges. As well as Charlotte Bryan who is a trainee designer at David Nieper in Derbyshire, they include young talent from companies such as Pendennis Shipyard and GlaxoSmithKline as well as SMEs including The Paper Cup Company and Vantage Power.

Charlottewas selected for being a true high-flyer, standing out from her peers and demonstrating passion, enthusiasm and ambition in her role.  She joined David Nieper straight from university after winning a paid internship at the fashion house and has been employed full-time ever since.  Based in Alfreton in Derbyshire, David Nieper designs and manufacturers all its women’s clothing and lingerie in the UK. 

Charlotte will now go on to act as an ambassador for the Make it in Great Britain campaign, which aims to challenge outdated opinions and transform the image of modern manufacturing.  She will have a special role in engaging with other young people, to ensure that the next generation is aware of the great jobs and careers in the industry.

Business Minister Mark Prisk said:

“There’s a huge range of different job opportunities in modern manufacturing, in design, in engineering and in production.

“We need more talented, enthusiastic people to fill these roles, and we hope that the 30 Under 30 will inspire the next generation to consider a career in manufacturing.”

Paul Jackson, CEO of Engineering UK and one of the 30 Under 30 judges added:

“I am always impressed at the level of young talent present in manufacturing and engineering, and over the years have met countless young people brimming with potential who have gone on to achieve great things.

“That is one of the reasons why I am supporting Make it in Great Britain, and why I was happy to be a judge for the 30 under 30.

“We need to be encouraging more motivated, ambitious young people to consider careers in manufacturing to ensure that the industry continues to grow. The 30 Under 30 finalists are all enjoying successful careers, and I believe that they will inspire other young people to follow in their footsteps. I look forward to meeting them.”

Successful entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den Star Deborah Meaden is backing the Make it in Great Britain campaign, and is particularly supportive of the 30 under 30.

She said: “It’s important to encourage young people to see the value of manufacturing careers. The 30 under 30 will be a valuable asset to the campaign by offering a fresh perspective on what it takes to start up a business or launch new ideas.

“I look forward to working alongside them to help inspire the next generation of youngsters about a future in manufacturing.”

Charlotte Bryan from David Nieper concluded: “It is a great privilege to be chosen especially as I’m the only person representing the fashion manufacturing industry.  I got my big break after winning a paid internship, and know first hand the importance of getting experience in a real-life manufacturing environment.  We’ve already been working with local schools to pass on fashion manufacturing skills, so this is a great opportunity to hopefully inspire more young people to consider a career in manufacturing.”

The Make it in Great Britaincampaign will culminate in an exhibition at the Science Museum, taking place from 24 July until 9 September.

To find out more about Make it in Great Britain, please visit the Make it in Great Britain website.

For more information on David Nieper, visit the David Nieper website.

Fatal Attraction Wins Exposure for Photographer

Beauty and death are captured simultaneously in a stunning photograph of a bug balancing on a carnivorous Pitcher plant taken by University of Lincoln Contemporary Lens Media graduate from 2012, Elizabeth Cheek (22). The image, Fatal Attraction, has been selected for inclusion in London’s largest annual photography exhibition; the prestigious Foto8 Summershow.

More than 3200 images were submitted for consideration in the fifth annual photographic show, with entries as far afield as Hong Kong to Chile and Russiato Australia. Elizabeth’s photo was one of 159 chosen for display and the freelance photographer said she was excited to be included among some of the world’s best photographers and hopes her image inspires people to think about fatal attractions.

“I hope viewers see both beauty and evil in the image. I hope it makes people stop and think about its juxtaposition and the harsh rules of nature,” she said.

Photographs at this year’s Summershow – established in 2008 as the UK’s only open exhibition of photography which invites both professional and amateur photographers to submit work - reflect events of the past 12-18 months including the defeat of Gadhafi in Libya, the spread of the global Occupy movement, protests against austerity and the build-up to the Summer Olympics.

This year the Best in Show will be judged by acclaimed British photographers Alison Jackson and Simon Roberts, the BBC’s online photography director Phil Coomes, TimeOut’s chief arts critic Ossian Ward and critic and curator Gerry Badger. Visitors to the gallery during weeks of the exhibition are also invited to register their vote for the People’s Choice and challenge the experts view with their personal choice of which photograph is the best.

For more information about Elizabeth Cheek’s photography click on her name above or contact Elizabethon: M: 07825518847 or E: cheek_e@hotmail.co.uk

All press enquiries contact: Emma O’Neill, Media Officer, University of Lincoln. M: 07530390698 E: eoneill@lincoln.ac.uk.  Thanks to Emma for this blog post.