Hot New Things 2020 – Peggy-Jane Keddy, Unitec
Each summer DA profiles a selection of the top design graduates coming out of our tertiary institutions.
We welcome these talented emerging professionals to our industry, learn about their passions, final projects and dreams for the future.
Today we speak with Peggy-Jane Keddy from Unitec
Was there someone (or something) that inspired you to pick design as a career path?
Originally, I started off in contemporary arts and discovered my passion for design through experimentation on illustrator. Whilst turning my paintings into vectors I decided to create a look book for my designs. I then found publication. Publication and layout is where I have found my passion along with the continuing experimentation of typography. Publication is where I believe my career within design will thrive and allow me to expand not only knowledge on design but my own design expression through layout.
You completed your full-time studies at the end of 2019. Can you tell us what your final year’s project focussed on?
My final project was a publication surrounding dementia. Within the publication, I not only wanted to express personal knowledge through experience but create a mind game and brain exercise a to make the reader understand the disease without all the added statistics. The aim I achieved to create was an experiential publication informing the viewer or the personable aspect to the disease and allow the viewer to not only sympathise with the patient but what it’s like to have dementia.
What were some of your most exciting or unexpected discoveries to come out of your project?
I discovered I had a passion for type exploration. Usually, when developing a publication I would experiment with type, but not to this creative extent. Allowing my publication to use type as a brain game or contemporary look, this allowed me to develop new knowledge within this field. I am now obsessed with typography.
What did you love doing most?
Allowing my own freedom to create my own style within publication and experiment with layouts and type. Also being able to step out of my comfort zone and allow my creative spark to come back into play within my own design. For my final project I wanted to experiment with layouts and type that I have never played around with before and doing this publication allowed me to do so.
What was your biggest challenge while studying and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge whilst creating this publication was stepping away for the factual and statistical side to dementia. Whilst researching, all the research I came across was very factual and almost depressing. Being able to take a step back, decipher and deconstruct the disease and being able to bring life back into the publication through colour and type. Whilst doing this, I still had to kee this publication not only factually correct but keeping a balance between statistic and personal information.
How has your ability and confidence progressed since the beginning of your studies?
At the start of my study my confidence was low. I went in with little experience using the adobe suite and other design applications. Throughout my studies I picked up multiple classes that allowed me to learn these with little hassle and was fortunate to receive the best teachers who enabled my work to flourish. Once I started becoming more confident on these platforms, I found my work expanded and resolved allowing me to experiment more with the wedding aspect.
How do you see your work and practice developing, and what are your main aspirations?
Throughout this publication, I keep coming up with ideas and learn more through research which I want to resolve within the current publication. Over-all, the practice I would like to head into is publication and feel as through this I can work within a forever evolving platform. I want to be able to keep up with trends and adjust my work accordingly, along with still learning the work place basics.
Which piece in your portfolio are you most proud of and why?
Within my portfolio, this publication is defiantly the work which I am also very proud of. I feel as though this publication allows me to showcase all techniques I have been learning and practicing throughout my studies. I also have developed my own brand for my publication and graphic illustration which has been forever evolving but am now very proud of. I have attached my website above which includes this.
What does your dream job look like?
My dream job would be to work within publication. Whether that’s for a magazine or book or even an online publication. I feel as though this is where my strong point within the design aspect is.
Why did you choose to study at your design school, and what do you feel you can take away now that you’ve completed your course?
I chose to study at Unitec as I went in unsure of which part of design I wanted to master. Doing the creative enterprise course they offered allowed me to test my waters and start to narrow down after being offered all options. I found that I figured this out pretty quickly. I didn’t want to choose one category and commit to something I wasn’t passionate about. I arrived at Unitec with little design experience and ended up leaving with a solid foundation of basic skills that with hard work now I can expand on myself.
Where to next for you? What does 2020 hold?
Next for me, is to find a job. I am currently looking at internships and voluntary work with multiple companies. Before committing I want to ensure that I can offer all I can with a solid foundation of skills so I can work as hard and as long within the company as possible.
Get in touch with Peggy-Jane
Email: Keddypj@outlook.com
Phone:0273167926.
Instagram: designsbypjk.
Website:keddypj.myportfolio.com.
