Articles

Field Guide — Authors and thinkers By Alistair McCready

Design is a term used in such a broad sense. For example; an engineer and a typographer are both considered designers. The word encompasses many outlooks, many outcomes, and many opinions throughout the developing world. Its intention, or meaning, often changes from conversation to conversation, and is unique to the individual. Over the years we’ve…

3 months ago by

Idealog partnership — Designer dirt: Why we should invest in our creativity the same way farmers invest in our lands

In collaboration with Idealog (to mark their creativity month), Design Assembly writer and editor Nicole Arnett Phillips argues that creativity is a resource that needs to be nurtured and invested in. I am not a farmer, but I try to think like one often. New Zealand has a robust agricultural pedigree, and we are celebrated…

5 months ago by

Summer Reading — Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018

Written by Lana Lopesi Aotearoa Design Thinking has been somewhat of a two year experiment here at Design Assembly testing our ability to write and appetite to read deeper thinking about design and its ideas. Over these two years I have had the privilege of working with an amazing group of writers to massage some…

7 months ago by

An exploration of graphic design education – an interview with office-party

Written by Cameron Ralston Supported by Creative New Zealand Cameron Ralston discusses graphic design workshops and moving from education to workforce with Bryn Fenemor and Caitlin Rassie through their project office-party. Cameron Ralston: Let’s begin by talking about how office-party came about. In the office-party introduction you write about a shift or divide between academic and educational graphic design and…

8 months ago by

Pepeha.nz – An internal kaupapa by Designworks for Aotearoa

This year Designworks undertook a personal studio project and created Pepeha.nz – a website to help all New Zealanders introduce themselves in Te Reo Māori, through pepeha.  Encouraging everyone to learn the stories behind their pepeha and share them with pride.

In this article Anzac Tasker, Design Director at Designworks talks about the project, its intent, the design elements and where it will go from here.

8 months ago by

Riffing Off Walters: the art of distinguishing ourselves

Written by Michael Smythe Supported by Creative New Zealand  Gordon Walters has gifted us a visual language that is capable of representing New Zealand’s bicultural foundation in infinitely variable ways. It is a legacy to be valued and handled with care by professional designers. In this article Michael Smythe records the personal experiences, and interesting connections,…

9 months ago by

How to work with clients who micro-manage

Written by Sarah Ritchie You’ve created a masterpiece of an event poster for your client. Your client asks you to make the headline bigger, move an item from the bottom to the top, change out the picture and – while you’re at it – change the colours too. All of a sudden your poster (lovingly…

9 months ago by

Ask the Experts: What skills do you think will be needed by future designers?

Written by Hollie Arnett Supported by Creative New Zealand There are so many talented creatives with years of combined experience and a variety of skills in the design industry. Since there are no right or wrong answers and no one true source when it comes to design advice, Hollie Arnett brings you Ask the Experts –…

9 months ago by

The Art and Design of Roy Good, an Interview

Written by Lana Lopesi  Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture This is not your first retrospective exhibition at Te Uru, I’m interested to know what might be new in your upcoming exhibition Parrallel Universe: The Art and Design of Roy Good which opens next month? I have…

9 months ago by

Ask the Experts: What is the number one piece of advice you have heard about being a designer?

Written by Hollie Arnett Supported by Creative New Zealand There are so many talented creatives with years of combined experience and a variety of skills in the design industry. Since there are no right or wrong answers and no one true source when it comes to design advice, Hollie Arnett brings you Ask the Experts –…

10 months ago by

Murky Crystal Balls: Graphic Design and Envisioning the Red Zone

Written by Cameron Ralston Supported by Creative New Zealand Ahead of the draft plan for the future of the Christchurch red zone being released, Christchurch citizen Cameron Ralston looks into the role design plays in communicating public decision making and public engagement. Whether you see it as a park, a dumping ground, an old home, a…

10 months ago by

Design Assembly Talks Diversity in Pōneke

Written by Kate McGuinness Diversity in Aotearoa design. Where do we begin? DA’s Spring Conversation series seemed like a good place to kick off the discussion. In Wellington, a receptive crowd nestled in for an evening of sushi, craft beer, and some fresh perspectives on, ‘Diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand Design—what does it mean and…

10 months ago by

Paddling Together Through “Rugged Terrain”: Design Assembly Talks Diversity

Written by Lana Lopesi  Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture  The question around diversity and design has been tearing up the national design industry this year. The conversation was re-invigorated by Catherine Griffiths who put out her poster series highlighting the gender imbalance of the…

10 months ago by

Saving money on print

Written by Sarah Ritchie Your client has come to you saying they have to cut back their print budget, and can you help them? Without a moment’s hesitation you should say “yes”! Why? Because there is always a way you can save money on printing. Let’s explore some of those ways. Print on demand How…

10 months ago by

Where Creative Opportunities Lie: Arch MacDonnell on Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing

Written by Lana Lopesi  Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture Last month Te Papa released yet another amazing book called Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing. The book co-written by Sean Mallon and Sébastien Galliot is the first publication to examine 3000 years of Sāmoan…

11 months ago by

Alternative Routes: An Interview with Katie Kerr

Written by Lana Lopesi Supported by Creative New Zealand Lana Lopesi is the editor of Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and funded by Creative New Zealand. This article is the final in a four part series of future focused articles canvasing prominent conversations within the design community.…

11 months ago by

A Brush with Design: 10 Designers Dish on Their First Design Encounter — Kaan Hiini

In the lead up to DA’s 10th birthday celebrations in March 2019, A Brush With Design asks 10 designers who have been involved with DA at various times to nostalgically recount their first memory of encountering design. In this seventh iteration we spoke non “come to Jesus” moments with Kaan Hiini. Memory is a strange thing. You can…

11 months ago by

Ideas on Diversity

Written by Lana Lopesi Supported by Creative New Zealand Lana Lopesi is the editor of Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and funded by Creative New Zealand. This article is the third in a four part series of future focused articles canvasing prominent conversations within the design community.…

11 months ago by

A Brush with Design: 10 Designers Dish on Their First Design Encounter — Jade Tang-Taylor

In the lead up to DA’s 10th birthday celebrations in March 2019, A Brush With Design asks 10 designers who have been involved with DA at various times to nostalgically recount their first memory of encountering design. In this sixth iteration we spoke with “designer, dreamer, doer” Jade Tang-Taylor. Similar to Louise, my love for design was…

12 months ago by

A Few Choice Voices: Different Ways of Talking About Design

Written by K. Emma Ng Supported by Creative New Zealand Emma Ng is a contributor to Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and funded by Creative New Zealand. This article is the last in a four part series on design and its support structures that enable us to nurture,…

12 months ago by

Networks of Exceptionally Creative Women

Written by Lana Lopesi Graphic Matters is a monthly column on issues and ideas related to New Zealand Design Culture Founded in 1980, the Association of Women Artists formed as a supportive network to connect women artists practicing in isolation and to also highlight and raise awareness of the institutional structures as well as art…

1 year ago by

An Automatic Introduction to Automata Through Yoobee

Eli Tucker is the Assistant Head of Faculty for Multimedia and also a tutor at Yoobee School of Design in Wellington, New Zealand.  He gives his insight into producing the Automata webseries. Ever since I’ve been working in the creative industries I’ve known talking to people and making connections opens doors.  It’s also who I…

1 year ago by

Designer and Mum, and Everything In-between

Written by Lana Lopesi Supported by Creative New Zealand Lana Lopesi is the editor of Aotearoa Design Thinking 2018, a series of commissioned critical design essays published by Design Assembly and funded by Creative New Zealand. This article is the second in a four part series of future focused articles canvasing prominent conversations within the design community.…

1 year ago by

PANZ Book Design Awards 2018 Winners

A warm congratulations from Design Assembly to all of the winners of the PANZ Book Design Awards 2018! ThePANZ Book Design Awards 2018 winners are: Gerard Reid Award for Best Book Sponsored by Nielsen Book: New China Eyewitness: Roger Duff, Rewi Alley and the art of museum diplomacy edited by James Beattie and Richard Bullen (Canterbury University…

1 year ago by

A Brush with Design: 10 Designers Dish on Their First Design Encounter — Lindsay Yee

In the lead up to DA’s 10th birthday celebrations in March 2019, A Brush With Design asks 10 designers who have been involved with DA at various times to nostalgically recount their first memory of encountering design. In this fifth iteration we spoke with designer Lindsay Yee. Rachelle George walked across the room, room 10 to be…

1 year ago by

 

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