2025 Hot New Things: Bradley Jones, Whitecliffe College
Each summer Design Assembly profiles a selection of the top graduates from the best Art and Design Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. We welcome these talented emerging professionals to our industry, learn about their passions, final projects, developing creative confidence and ambitions for the future.
Today we speak with Bradley Jones who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Design and Digital Media from Whitecliffe College. Find out more about undergraduate and postgraduate study options in art and design by visiting our Design Schools page.
Tell us a bit about yourself:
I originally got into design because I wanted a career change from the biological sciences I had trained in. I also wanted a visual way to express my creative side, and reignite my childhood passion for art which I had only done as a hobby.
I took a couple of short certificates in art and design at Whitecliffe to see if the creative fields were something I was interested in – it turned out I was, and that I liked design because of its combination of problem-solving, practicality, and creativity. I realised I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life and, with the encouragement of my lecturers, continued with the design degree programme at Whitecliffe.
What was the focus of your graduating project?
My capstone project is a brand identity called Ad Astra, a supporting website, branded merchandise and promotional material, and a hand-bound, illustrated children’s storybook based on an original story and designed for shared reading. It’s the first in a planned series.
The project was topical, and is my response to reports about declining literacy in young New Zealanders, something that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. I have always believed that being able to read (and write) opens up whole worlds of experiences and perspectives.
I wanted my project to be a contribution to getting children excited about reading from an early age, nurturing an early reading environment that sets children up for success in the future. Research shows that these early interventions have positive outcomes for a child’s future learning outcomes.
Throughout the project I thought back to my own childhood experiences of first being read to and then being able to read for myself. It felt empowering, like I had gained a superpower. And I read everything I could get my hands on from that point onwards. I wanted that for young people today.
Why did you choose to study design at Whitecliffe College?
Whitecliffe’s reputation and small class sizes are what drew me to study there. I chose to be among the first cohort to study under the new Bachelor of Design and Digital Media because of its strong emphasis on design for digital spaces. I saw this as forward-thinking and aligned to industry needs. I also appreciated that it incorporated emerging trends in design and technology wherever it could.
What did you enjoy most about the design programme at Whittecliffe College?
I enjoyed being able to explore different aspects of design like web, publication, 2D and 3D motion design. The variety allowed me hone my skill-set and figure out what I liked best and, ideally, what I wanted to specialise in. We were encouraged to explore who we were as individuals so that we could create briefs (and thus projects) that were meaningful to us, rather than just choosing from a selection of prescribed briefs.
My first discovery was that prior to this degree, I hadn’t realised the depth of conceptualisation that underlies design. As consumers of design, we often see the resolved work but not what it took to get there.
This relates to my second discovery, which is that design isn’t a linear process. It’s messy and tangled and filled with stops and (re)starts. And that’s okay. The process of getting there is just as important as the outcome.
Lastly, I’ve learned to embrace uncertainty, which is sometimes easier said than done. It’s often tempting to envision the result at the start, then align the process to fit it, rather than follow the process wherever it leads.
What was your biggest challenge while studying?
Time management. Early on I would do what I think a lot of other students do, which is leave things until the last minute and then in a frenzy get it all done the night before hand-in. This led to results I wasn’t always happy with.
Obsessively using to-do lists and software like Notion has done wonders for my productivity. Starting early and chipping away at a large project is better than starting late and working on it in binges. The former gives me more time to revisit and refine my ideas and designs, while the latter often results in a kind of tunnel vision where fewer alternative avenues are considered because of a lack of time.
Another challenge for me in the beginning was generating ideas (i.e. staring at a blank canvas). But taking inspiration from the world around me, from the most unlikely and unexpected places, is a great way to get ideas.
What inspired you to pick design as a career path?
Multiple things led me to design as a career path. The most important of them was a former lecturer, Peeti Lamwilai (now at Unitec). His practical guidance and infectious enthusiasm for the practice of design got me fired up about design as more than just something you do to get paid (i.e. a job) but as a lifestyle or way-of-being/seeing, too. I think that this was the push I needed to take me from a space of uncertainty about where to go next after I completed the my certificates, to something I knew I absolutely wanted to do.
Who is your favourite designer/creative/artist?
Hiroshi Sugimoto, an architect and photographer. His work has inspired my appreciation for the conceptual basis of what we produce as creatives, and how we can use design to address the pressing sociological and philosophical challenges of our time.
What part of your portfolio are you most proud of?
My capstone project, Ad Astra. It’s the culmination of a long research, conceptual, and making process and encapsulates my contribution to solving a real-world issue I feel strongly about.
What’s next for you?
My goal is to work in a design agency to get more industry exposure, work with clients, improve my skills, and expand my networks.
Over the long term, I also want to build on Ad Astra by creating a series of books in both the print and digital spaces with the goal of eventually getting published.
Nothing is ever certain, but I’m excited about where it could take me in the future. Ultimately my aspiration is to be the best designer I can be, always learning, always curious, and always finding new ways to solve real-world problems and empower others through design.
Where can we see more of your work?
My portfolio website, LinkedIn or Instagram
