On the flipside, Ruslan Courtman

The transition from design student to designer can be tricky! Design internships provide an invaluable stepping stone towards professional practice and create continuity within the design profession. On the flip side profiles current design interns and the Aotearoa studios that are hosting them. We learn more about the emerging talents ambitions, the fresh perspectives they […]

4 years ago by

Fresh from the Field – Articulate Sans Typefafe and Specimen Book, Milk

Designed by Milk Design Agency Articulate Sans is a legibility enhanced typeface for people with low vision. The type specimen showcases the construction, character and effect of the typeface. The Brief: Millions suffer from poor or impaired vision and typography has a role to play in enhancing people’s everyday life through type functionality to improve […]

4 years ago by

5 minutes with… Mona Gabr

We spoke with Media Design School Graduate Mona Gabr about her Award-winning project Pick a prototype tag system that assists people with disability when using public transport and her trans-Tasman work for Datacom.   Was there someone (or something) that inspired you to pick a design as a career path? I’ve always loved thinking outside […]

4 years ago by

Autumn Conversations: Meet the Auckland panel – Thursday 8 April 2021

AUCKLAND DA Event: Autumn Conversations – The business of design today April 8 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Monster Valley, 74 Karangahape Road, Auckland Central Register to attend One year on from the emergence of Covid-19 in Aotearoa and we have all been affected by the global pandemic in many and different ways. It’s […]

4 years ago by

Free Dumb Sessions, Lee Parkinson (Strategy Creative)

Looking for something to expand your mind this long weekend? Tune into Lee Parkinson’s Free Dumb Sessions podcast. Lee is the strategic director of Strategy Christchurch and describes himself as relentlessly curious, and fascinated with human behaviour “by what we actually do, not just what we say, think, or feel.” The DA team have been […]

4 years ago by

Under the Hood Online Webinar Recap – March 2021

Each designer will share the brief, how they approached it, talk us through that internal feedback loop – This is too hard! It’s not working! Why did I decide to be a designer?! – and out to the other side to client love and project success. All of these insights in a quick conversational ten-minute […]

4 years ago by

Fresh From The Field – Prezzy Card The perfect gift every time, by Onfire

When Epay wanted to rebrand Prezzy Card and Giftstation they approached Onfire. This Fresh from the Field dives into the refresh and campaign which achieved record sales for Epay the world’s leading payment processor. The Brief: Gift-giving is always a tricky thing, no matter what the occasion. In a world that is increasingly going digital, […]

4 years ago by

Blur the Lines X Comvita

Blur the Lines is a new independent design collective, specialising in creating brand experiences that seamlessly blend spatial, digital and virtual worlds. Established after the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020; with the aim to offer an alternative to the traditional agency model and connect customers to brands in new and exciting ways. The studio’s first […]

4 years ago by

Fresh from the Field — Identify, by Curative

This Fresh from the Field features incredibly important mahi from the team at curative, whose scope was to develop a brand identity, social media strategy templates, and a microsite for research into the experiences of young LGBTTQIA+ New Zealanders. The Brief LGBTTQIA+ rangatahi, youth, and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand are invisible in every […]

4 years ago by

Fresh From the Field — Woven

This Fresh From the Field features ‘Woven’ a hands on weaving experience, created to help the public connect with the Māori cultural values of Manaakitanga and Kaitiakitanga. This admirable project by a small team of Media Design School graduates centres Te Ao Māori, environmental stewardship and design collaboration. The Brief Created by a group of […]

4 years ago by

Under the Hood with Laura Cibilich

Our next Under the Hood is tomorrow! You are invited to join us online as two designers walk us through how a design project worked. At the upcoming event, Laura Cibilich (DD at RUN) is going to walk us through a recent project; in the lead up we get insight to what she will be […]

4 years ago by

Getting Under the Hood with… Donna McCort

Our next Under the Hood is Wednesday the 24th of March. You are invited to join us online as two designers walk us through how a design project worked. At the upcoming event, Donna McCort (CD at Dow Goodfolk) is going to walk us through a recent project; in the lead up we learned more […]

4 years ago by

Fresh From the Field — Convicts.nyc by Grafik’s Nick Jardine

Rebel with a cause. This Fresh from the Field features rule breaking design by Grafik for innovative creators, makers and culture shifters Convicts. The rebellious typographically led website Convicts.nyc mergers two worlds. The Brief: Convicts are a New York City, Los Angeles and Australia-based production company that tells stories about character, movements, brands and ideas […]

4 years ago by

The Business of Design: a three-legged stool

Who are these workshops for? This course has been designed to help studios large or small with continuous improvement of the things that keep an agency running well – clear and informed strategic planning, sound financial management and building great teams. Whether you have been in business for one year or many there’s always more […]

4 years ago by

AUT student finalists in Global Design Awards

Late last year we wrote about Lexus partnering with AUT’s school of design to support emerging design talent in Aotearoa. In a follow up to that story we were excited to learn two Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies students – Jessica Vea and Gayle Lee – have been chosen […]

4 years ago by

Fresh From the Field — Lost Time Project

To coincide with International Women’s day this week our Fresh from the Field feature’s a collaboration by two Aotearoa creative women which sparks action and conversation around the gender pay gap. Lost Time Project visualises the 15.5% disparity, in stark black and white. “As soon as you see data visually represented, it comes to life […]

4 years ago by

5 minutes with… Mark Easterbrook

In today’s 5 minutes with… we are excited to introduce one of our favourite writers Mark Easterbrook. Mark collaborated with DA on the 2020 field guide, our most recent Be seen. Be heard. Be friend campaign, on the messaging for Kātoitoi the Aotearoa Design Archive and is facilitating our upcoming Writing for Designers workshop in […]

4 years ago by

Never Not International Womens Day

If 2020 taught us one thing, women are still a long way from equality and equity. Globally, women bore the brunt of the physical, emotional and financial impacts of the pandemic with their livelihoods affected at almost twice the rate of men. As International Women’s Day 2021 passes, Never Not Creative say enough really is […]

4 years ago by

Baggy Pants and Butter Paper… Sophie George, Motion Design

This interview is the fourth in a series from Hamish Besley (@hamo.b) a third-year student at Victoria University Wellington – Te Herenga Waka, Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation. Each interview was first published in Baggy Pants and Butter Paper, an editorial publication for students by students (conceived in Hamish’s final year of study). The […]

4 years ago by

Meet our Friends… Danny Carlsen — Head of Design at Shine

We love the opportunity to get to know our DA friends better, so we’re happy to get the chance to speak with Danny Carlsen — Head of Design at Shine Limited. We spoke to Danny about his career journey, the creative culture they have fostered at Shine, empowering team members to contribute and cross-pollination within […]

4 years ago by

Aotearoa Design Archive Submissions Extension

Kātoitoi is a verb meaning to respond… We received feedback that the submissions window for the 2020 Aotearoa Design Archive pilot was too tight for broad participation from our community. We have listened and in response have extended the call for submissions and project delivery. The new (and final) deadline for submissions is midnight March […]

4 years ago by

Fresh From the Field — Changemaker by Milk

This Fresh From the Field features a bold design outcome and bolder kaupapa for a life-changing beer. Milk created a brand of distinction, with significant heart. Disrupting the national beverage market and providing financial independence to the brewers.    The Brief: Disability is something that happens when people with impairments face barriers in society. It’s […]

4 years ago by

By Day By Night, Marcos Mortensen Steagall, AUT

By Day By Night is an interview series that profiles graphic design tutors from design schools throughout New Zealand. We learn about their role as a teacher and their own personal design practice. Today we hear from Marcos Mortensen Steagall a senior lecturer and Programme Leader of the Communication Design course from the Auckland University […]

4 years ago by

Under the Hood Online Webinar Recap – February 2021

https://vimeo.com/518325002/8c184c22d9 Each designer will share the brief, how they approached it, talk us through that internal feedback loop – This is too hard! It’s not working! Why did I decide to be a designer?! – and out to the other side to client love and project success. All of these insights in a quick conversational […]

4 years ago by

Fresh From the Field — Wonder Horse, PAN and Blutui

Hello Friday! Feeling Parched? This Fresh from the Field features University of Waikato Design student Ruslan Courtman’s mahi to create the perfect cocktail site wonderhorse.co.nz during an internship at Hamilton-based digital agency PAN® The Love Agency™, some spectacular digital design brought to life with Blutui, PLUS a refreshing signature cocktail recipe to start your weekend off […]

4 years ago by