2022 Grad Show Preview – Otago Polytechnic’s Beneath the Surface
A snapshot of some of the featured students at this year’s Dunedin graduate show, ‘Beneath the Surface’ at Otago Polytechnic running 19-21 Nov.
Hailey Cadzow
Website
Project: Catch-Combat (game)
Description: In Catch-Combat the once-peaceful waterways around your island are now infested with dangerous monsters! Fish them up and battle using real-time third person combat. Work with the island folk, gear up, and take on increasingly tougher opponents. Clear the waters and make your home safe once again.
Made using Unreal Engine 5, Catch-Combat is my personal take on the third person action genre. Being a solo project, it required me to work with every aspect of game design, from coding to animation. The process taught me a lot of new skills that I will bring forward into the games industry.
Callum Curran
www.callumjcurran.com
Project: Phantom – a short horror film. Connor has been going through a tough time. After refusing to confess this, he is left alone to confront his inner demons… Description: Looking back over the last three years studying Communication Design, I’ve found a greater appreciation of the design process. I have used this course to explore multiple creative mediums, developing new skills in packaging design in particular. As an aspiring filmmaker, this final project has given me the space to delve into each aspect of the production process developing a short film.
Emma Buchan
www.emmabuchan.myportfolio.com
Project: Internship, Firebrand
Description: As an emerging communication designer, I am driven by an eagerness to learn and develop my skills. Interning at Firebrand for my final major project was an excellent opportunity for me to work in the industry and explore where I stand as a designer! I worked collaboratively with Firebrand on many projects. One of these was developing an initial brand concept for the 2023 Dunedin Festival of Brass. This concept works to unveil Dunedin as a destination and promote the festival through shapes that offer a subtle reference to brass instruments. I wanted to step away from the traditional brass band colours and add a pop colour to the brand to attract a wider audience.
Meg Schlaadt
https://design.ac.nz/student/2021/fundies2/megs/
Project: The Final Move
Description: Kia ora tātou! I aim to be a game designer that is self-aware, empathetic and able to have fun through each project. I plan on using my skill set in game design to introduce players to an inclusive and diverse experience they can feel fully immersed in. For my final design project I created a game demo titled The Final Move which focuses on the lives of the recently deceased. Importance was placed on the art and narrative direction as I wanted to challenge myself to showcase a high standard of visuals and a meaningful story worth sharing.
Best Apisit Uthakhamkong
Project: Internship, Dunedin Hospital
Description: For my Graduate Diploma, I chose an internship at Dunedin Hospital because I wanted to have the experience of working with their communications team, and a hospital is a place where I could bring my skill and perspective to help people. During my internship, I designed posters, made videos, created logos, designed the “Unearthed Ōtakou” exhibition, and made an infographic of the new Dunedin Hospital’s Outpatient Building. This internship helped me immensely in gaining a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses, and allowed me to use my skills and perspective to help communities and make our world a better place.
Mya Robinson
https://myarobinsoncreative.myportfolio.com/work
Project: Shift Mind and Body rebrand
Description: I am a multi-disciplinary communication designer with a passion for graphic design, brand identity and print. As a designer, I am motivated to make a positive impact on people’s lives, and I believe good design is a highly effective force for positive change. In my final project, I was able to practise this philosophy through a real-life scenario. As a part of the brief, my client Shift Mind and Body wanted a full rebrand to represent their shift in name, values and facility. This project consisted of logo design, brand identity, print, merchandise and web design. My goal for this project was to create a cohesive and professional brand style for their new identity that encompasses their brand values confidently and help to encourage positive change within their members.
Heather Taylor
@heathertaylor.art893
Project: Beer label, Otago Museum and Otago Polytechnic collaboration
Description: Graphic design gives me the freedom to be creative and solve design problems. In my process, I value research and experimentation and am passionate about using illustration for visual communication and storytelling. I believe storytelling gives design purpose and allows designers to communicate effectively with their audience. For my final project, I collaborated with the Otago Museum and the OP Brew School to create a celebratory beer label. The design is unique, fun, illustrative and inspired by museum exhibits. I look forward to similar projects in the future that allow my love for drawing and storytelling to shine through.
Sophia Hunt
https://razzmicbuzzdesign.myportfolio.com/
Project: Debrief 2022, Graduate Showcase, Branding
Description: My goal as a designer is to deliver an outcome that is polished, beautiful and has purpose. My journey started with a passion for painting portraits when I was 13 years old. I have always been a people person, so design stood out to me as a way to collaborate while also getting to utilise my artistic side. As I have progressed through my degree at the Otago Polytechnic, I have taken a special interest in illustration, graphic design and photography. Bringing Debrief 2022 to life has been an amazing opportunity. I worked alongside fellow design students, with my role overseeing the branding side of the project. We ran with the theme “Beneath the Surface” to explore the process and ideas ebbing and flowing beneath the surface of a polished piece of design.
Meara Acheson-Kappely
https://mearaachesondesign.myportfolio.com/work
Project: Hākari collaborative food event, Otago Polytechnic
Description: As an upcoming designer, I am constantly looking for ways to inspire, reflect and grow all areas of my creative skills. Throughout my own practice, I aim to also inspire other designers to do the same. For my final major project, I worked on an event called Hākari – an Otago Polytechnic tauira-led, collaborative event between the Food Design institute, Communication Design, and the Dunedin School of Art. The event features street food experiences and design installations. I worked with a design peer and my role was Lead of Branding, Film Direction, and Social Media.
Daniel Wells
https://www.instagram.com/danielwells.design/?hl=en
Project: Debrief 2022, Graduate Showcase, Marketing and Merchandise
Description: My final project, Debrief 2022, is an annual showcase for graduates from Fashion, Product and Communication Design at Otago Polytechnic. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Beneath The Surface’ which explores the idea, processes and challenges we go through as designers. My deliverables for the project included marketing, spatial graphics
and merchandise. I designed a poster series that slowly releases branding elements as the posters gain size from A4 to A2. The final poster of the series (A2) uses lines, shape, type and colour from the brand identity. I also designed tote bags, one of the merch items available for the showcase this year.
