2023 Graduate Show Previews | ‘Debrief’ Otago Polytechnic, Te Pūkenga
A snapshot of some of the featured students at this year’s ‘Debrief’ Graduate Showcase ( Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga ) happening on 16-17 Nov 2023.
Name: Evie Noad
Project: Living Campus Seed Library
Description: The brief provided by Living Campus for this project requested a design solution for a seed library to be located in Otago Polytechnic Hub; giving staff, students, and other members of the campus community the opportunity to purchase readily available packets of seeds on a ‘pay what you can’ basis, in an effort to make horticultural resources
and information more engaging and accessible. My concept evolved to include a refresh of the former Living Campus brand, as well as a laser cut MDF display to house the series of seven illustrated seed packets (Kākābeak, Kōwhai, Rengarenga, Parsley, Silverbeet, Runner Bean, and Goldenberry), that provide a variety of different seeds suited to whatever type of garden, or level of knowledge and experience potential consumers may have.
Name: Justina King
Project: The Little Herbal Handbook
Description: Inspiring connection with the healing powers of plants, The Little Herbal Handbook is a guide to common medicinal plants, their properties and uses. My design process involved collecting cuttings, creating visual studies, translating them into twenty seven vector illustrations, and implementing them into a book. Every book is hand bound with handmade tools. Complete with latching flower bookmarks and seed packets, The Little Herbal Handbook is the perfect handmade gift package for your loved one – your chaperone and advisor on your next foraging journey. This book was the perfect epilogue to my journey at Otago Polytechnic, aligning with my specialties of illustration and graphic design. It also brought me closer to my ultimate goal to create meaningful design, using thought-provoking
storytelling to leave impact, and use practices conscious of social and environmental influence – design that is well-researched, collaborative and diverse.
https://www.instagram.com/coccinelleart/
https://justinaking.myportfolio.com/
Name: Rowan Redpath
Project: Moon’s Haunted
Description: Moon’s Haunted is a 2D pixel art platformer incorporating themes of loss, regret and the path to forgiveness (with a hint of isolation horror). Arriving in an alien landscape with only one directive – ‘find them’ – the player must explore their surroundings and hunt for traces of their lost companion. As a solo project, Moon’s Haunted required me to work on every aspect of game development and keep my scope and expectations achievable. The resulting demo forms a solid foundation which I hope to develop further in the future.
Name: Jarvis Wallace – Environment Artist // Game Designer
Project: Remnants (Game)
Description: Journey through an isolated, thriving landscape, uncovering remnants from a forgotten world. Encounter giant creatures that have been left to evolve without mankind’s presence. Following a third person perspective, made in Unreal Engine 5.2, progressing through this
solo resulted in a heck of a lot of learning and developing. This process started off with throwing me into the deep end of the pool, working on every single building block that makes up a game. Through staring spaced out at a screen for hours, this experience has provided me with a greater
understanding of the process of creating an immersive experience.
https://www.artstation.com/rfpneflfifcl_42
Name: Daniel van Lith
Project: New Dunedin Hospital internship.
Description: The Bachelor of Design (Communication) internship opportunity for the New Dunedin Hospital has been incredibly rewarding and productive for me as a creative. Being a well-recognised and published illustrator this experience really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Working alongside a dynamic and hardworking team has been inspirational, and has
taught me professional lessons I will carry with me into the rest of my career. The reach and impact on the community of this project has shown me the power and importance of visually communicating ideas appropriately and to the right audience. I have really enjoyed working on a project that has a focus on human wellbeing, and look forward to being involved in more work
like this in future.
Name: Ryan Dombroski
Project: H2yo – the beverage for any occasion
Description: For my Design Studio Major, I created a spec commercial for a local beverage company, H2yo, aimed at positioning it as ‘the beverage for any occasion.’ The narrative revolves around a bank heist with an unexpected twist, and in this project I gained a deeper understanding of various aspects of production. I designed and collaborated in the creation of a puppet, directed talent, and achieved a cinematic look through lighting and composition. A key takeaway was managing and organising the crew and working together to bring the commercial
to life.
Name: Trelise Wadsworth
Project: Firebrand – Marketing & Digital Transformations, Internship
Description: As a lover of challenge, for my last hurrah as a student, I departed from the classroom to complete an internship with Firebrand, a marketing & digital transformation Agency in Ōtepoti. The internship gave me real-world experience and a new, in-depth understanding of the design and marketing industry. The professional, fast-paced environment tested and pushed my design capabilities to new limits as I explored and executed various design applications. I collaborated with the Firebrand team on numerous projects, a personal favourite being the design of the new Firebrand Karakia, which features in a publication documenting my designer
experience.
Name: Riley Smith
Project: Mystery Cliffs – A Climber’s Guide to the Ōtepoti North Coast
Description: Dunedin climbers have not had a guidebook for over 20 years and therefore, the recent surge in popularity of the sport is an undeniable safety issue. My project, Mystery Cliffs, looks back at the past to guide the future; sharing a wealth of knowledge from the local community through a variety of viewpoints in order to educate the next generation of climbers on
the wider context of Ōtepoti’s coastal cliffs. The past nine months have exponentially increased the appreciation and passion I have for being a climber in Ōtepoti, Aotearoa, and I am looking forward to sharing this with others.
Name: Liana Elsie
Project: Getting Older
Description: Inspired by The Clean song of the same name, Getting Older is a short film that pays homage to the iconic ‘Dunedin Sound’ while paving the way for a new wave of talented musicians in Ōtepoti to shine. Driven by his father’s legacy and the nostalgia of Dunedin’s vibrant live music scene of the 80’s, the film follows budding musician Dean on his disorienting journey
of loss, hope, friendship and grief – with a killer soundtrack to match. This project was made in collaboration with musicians, artists, designers, and other members of the Dunedin community – a huge thank you to everyone involved.
Name: Leroy Buxton
Project: Memories Sorted
Description: The aim of this project is to raise awareness around keeping memories alive. Without stories being handed down either by kōrero, or in the written word, we can forget the essence of important people in our lives. Memories are what make us who we are and in this hurried world, it is important to make space for ‘sorting memories’. My grandma had written a collection of stories for her six grandchildren. The gift of these stories has kept her memory alive, burning brightly. Curating and communicating some of these stories are the foundation of this book which I have designed and illustrated.
