Hear straight from our graduates.
If you want to learn up-to-date technical skills, ideation techniques, theory and key principles of design in a deadline-driven environment that feels like a design studio, Shillington is the place.
Designer, The New York Times
Caitlin Clancy
You previously studied art and design but decided to upskill at Shillington 7 years later. What made you return and why did you choose Shillington?
After spending nearly two years living in Belgium, I wanted to upskill in digital design, brush up on the Adobe creative software and work on a new portfolio that would give me the confidence to get back into the graphic design industry. Shillington had been on my radar for some time so there was no question about where I would choose to study.
I had first heard about Shillington in my final year of art school and considered enrolling after graduation. Manchester School of Art was a great experience for teaching conceptual thinking, visual experimentation, traditional print techniques and historical, social and cultural contextualisation but at the time I experienced a lot of self doubt and felt like my limited technical skills and conceptual portfolio weren’t enough to get into industry.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your time at Shillington?
The early starts. I like to get up early but being on top form creatively from 8.ooam—5.oopm, day in and day out for three months was a challenge and required a lot of energy and focus. Living in East London, I found my daily walks to and from Shillington helped to give me headspace and keep me inspired. Taking pictures of colours, shapes, patterns, architecture, graffiti, posters or shopfronts on the way in could all inspire a creative response to the daily briefs. In hindsight, I am so grateful for this challenge as, in my current role, I am often required to come up with an idea, design inspiration or suggest an illustration, photography or animation approach in an instant.
Did you make any meaningful connections with teachers or fellow students during the course? Have you encountered any fellow Shillumni since graduation?
Yes, there was such a good vibe between the students and the teachers during the course (shout out Andy, Amy, Fiona and Hilary). We have a WhatsApp group where we keep in touch and meet for catch ups occasionally. It’s cool to exchange experiences and hear how everyone is getting on in industry as we have shared this intense experience and witnessed how hard we all worked and progressed during the course.
What would you say to someone who is sceptical about the Shillington course?
If you want a course that teaches you up-to-date technical skills alongside ideation techniques, theory and key principles of graphic design in a deadline driven environment that feels like a design studio, Shillington is the place. You will leave with a polished portfolio and be ready for any industry briefs.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Be industrious. Put all your energy and focus into it. Embrace not knowing everything. Share your ideas with the teachers and fellow students no matter how silly, support each other and have fun. It’s also important to keep a mood board of art and design that inspires you and take full advantage of the Shillington library which is filled with plenty of informative and inspiring design reference books and independent magazine publications.
Visit Caitlin’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
If you want to learn up-to-date technical skills, ideation techniques, theory and key principles of design in a deadline-driven environment that feels like a design studio, Shillington is the place.
Designer, The New York Times
Caitlin Clancy
You previously studied art and design but decided to upskill at Shillington 7 years later. What made you return and why did you choose Shillington?
After spending nearly two years living in Belgium, I wanted to upskill in digital design, brush up on the Adobe creative software and work on a new portfolio that would give me the confidence to get back into the graphic design industry. Shillington had been on my radar for some time so there was no question about where I would choose to study.
I had first heard about Shillington in my final year of art school and considered enrolling after graduation. Manchester School of Art was a great experience for teaching conceptual thinking, visual experimentation, traditional print techniques and historical, social and cultural contextualisation but at the time I experienced a lot of self doubt and felt like my limited technical skills and conceptual portfolio weren’t enough to get into industry.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during your time at Shillington?
The early starts. I like to get up early but being on top form creatively from 8.ooam—5.oopm, day in and day out for three months was a challenge and required a lot of energy and focus. Living in East London, I found my daily walks to and from Shillington helped to give me headspace and keep me inspired. Taking pictures of colours, shapes, patterns, architecture, graffiti, posters or shopfronts on the way in could all inspire a creative response to the daily briefs. In hindsight, I am so grateful for this challenge as, in my current role, I am often required to come up with an idea, design inspiration or suggest an illustration, photography or animation approach in an instant.
Did you make any meaningful connections with teachers or fellow students during the course? Have you encountered any fellow Shillumni since graduation?
Yes, there was such a good vibe between the students and the teachers during the course (shout out Andy, Amy, Fiona and Hilary). We have a WhatsApp group where we keep in touch and meet for catch ups occasionally. It’s cool to exchange experiences and hear how everyone is getting on in industry as we have shared this intense experience and witnessed how hard we all worked and progressed during the course.
What would you say to someone who is sceptical about the Shillington course?
If you want a course that teaches you up-to-date technical skills alongside ideation techniques, theory and key principles of graphic design in a deadline driven environment that feels like a design studio, Shillington is the place. You will leave with a polished portfolio and be ready for any industry briefs.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
Be industrious. Put all your energy and focus into it. Embrace not knowing everything. Share your ideas with the teachers and fellow students no matter how silly, support each other and have fun. It’s also important to keep a mood board of art and design that inspires you and take full advantage of the Shillington library which is filled with plenty of informative and inspiring design reference books and independent magazine publications.
Visit Caitlin’s website and read her full interview on the blog.
Vanessa Castiglione
eCommerce Designer at PepsiCo Foods Canada
Rob Key
Founder of Studio Change and Change Space
Carl McBride
Junior Designer at Toyfight
Melody Yee
Lead Designer at
The Daily Edited
Darsh Seneviratne
Designer at Canva
Matt McKay
Designer at Kensa Creative
Ximena Jimenez
Web Designer at Blackmagic Design
Kinda Savarino
Designer at Billion Dollar Boy
Chantel Charchalis
Marketing and Content Creator at The Dog Mum
Tom Noon
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Danger Koste
Studio Manager at The Design Kids
Karina Aslikyan
Freelance Graphic Designer
Robyn M-C
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Stevens
Freelance Graphic Designer/ Junior Designer at NRMA
Karen Liang
Learning Experience Designer at Standards Australia
Ayesha Mansour
Freelance Designer, Aah Yes Studio
Anna Dai
Freelance Graphic Designer
Georgia Latham
Intern at Imagist
Natasha Michels
Designer at Nine Publishing and Creative Director at Sweaty City magazine
Mary Lin
Graphic Designer, Colette Werden
Carla Zimbler
VJ and Designer, Tszuj
Wyatt Welles
Freelance Graphic Designer
Laura Welch
Enviromental Designer at Sundance Film Festival
Sophie Bo Schmidt
Senior UX Consultant at PeakXD
Sivim Ly
Junior Graphic Designer at Loeffler Randall
Ben Thaler
Junior Designer at Common
Rosylvia Wang
Design and Brand Officer at Historic Houses UK
Liam Speranza
Associate Design Manager at Tushy
Em Storey
Junior Designer, NU Creative
Natalie Taylor
Designer, Mobkoi
Ella Caseley
Winner of the Shillington x Champion Agency Scholarship
Oyinkan Karunwi
Founder at Aseda Design Agency
Sylvan Hillebrand
Midweight Creative at HarrimanSteel
Maria Vazquez
Freelance Designer and Art Director
Alessandra Conti
Designer, RAPP
Elizabeth Diffey
Freelance Graphic Designer, Spotify
Majo Crespo
Co-Founder and Strategic Designer, Facético
Lorenzo Mengolini
UX Designer, AKQA
Abbey Swinn
Designer, Frost*collective
Angeline Chan
Communications Specialist, The University of Melbourne
Julia Hoolahan
Art Director, Home Beautiful
Seyi Ogunlade
Freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer
Rory Knibbs
Designer, The Midnight Club
Jess Goodall
Digital Designer, Pistachio Design
Stephanie Halovanic
Creative Producer, &Walsh
Megan Voo
UX/UI & Content Designer, Ignite Online
Gerald Torto
Strategist, Re Agency
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
Ariana Villegas
Designer, Simplecast
Ray Wong
Designer, Oink Creative
Johanna Hagenauer
Brand / Product Designer, Rexlabs
Kris Klein
Experience Design + Videography at AKQA
Emily Campos
UX Designer, Wix
Rawin Keo
Lead Graphic Designer, Dermalogica
Mark Osmond
Designer, Thumbs Up!
Vanessa Bertagnole
Graphic Multimedia Designer, Surf Life Saving Queensland
Araki Koman
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Arwa Al-Salam
Designer, Human Appeal
Benny Hinman
Designer, Frost*collective
Em Stokes
Junior Designer, MOO
Veronica Humphris
Digital Designer, Mapway
Leila Bartholet
Designer, Chandelier
Jared Worthington
Designer at Media Playground
Alexandra Francis
Designer, Flow Creative
Benjamin Ngooi
Graphic Designer, Cox Architecture
Sophie Lord
Creative Director, Hello May
Khadijah Adbul Nabi
Freelance Graphic Designer
Frankie Young
Founder, Studio Neubau
Ella Donald & Charlotte Carnegie Brown
Co-Founders, Studio Duzi
Amy Forsyth
Graphic Designer, Alfresco Emporium
Jaira Adlawan
Senior Visual Designer, Sephora
Jamie Krups
Creative at Stab Magazine
Keiran McCann
Graphic Designer, Victoria’s Secret
Greg Bemis
Creative, Nike
Anastasiia Vinnichenko
Designer, ToyFight
Lori Beth Kaye
Senior Product Designer, The Iconic
Megan Dweck
Visual Designer, McKinsey & Company
James Freebairn
Junior Graphic Designer, Dark Mofo
Irina Manning
UX Designer, Manning Labs
Shannon Gordon
Designer, R/GA
Sinead Murphy
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Koste
Freelance Designer and Craft Beer Specialist
Ani Monteleone
Designer, The Wall Street Journal
Caitlin Clancy
Designer, The New York Times
Miwako Suzuki
Integrated Creative Director
Linda Gao
Designer, HBO
Rachel Urquhart
Founder, Pony Gold Studio
Will Batrouney
Graphic Designer, Ignite Online
Ellie Pinney
Freelance Designer
Katie Lodge
Business Development Manager, Frost* collective
Joseph Lebus
Designer, Made Thought
Jordan Demetriou
Junior Designer, Principals
Hamish Snow
Product Designer, Rexlabs
Emily Somers
Founder, Bravery Co.
Eleanor Robertson
Designer, Paul Belford Ltd
Estefi Panizza
Junior Designer, Design Bridge
Erin Gale
Designer, Target
Kylie Meller
Founder, duosista Web and Graphic Design
Yarron Frauenfelder
Design Director
Bianca Chu
Senior Designer, eBay
Bianca Oggiano
Designer, FutureBrand
Alexander Rog
Junior Designer, oOh!
Christopher J Porter
Designer, I See Sea
Babeth Olde Hanter
Junior Art Director, SOV
Chrystal Christie
Photographer/Graphic Designer, One Round Entertainment
Tally Thompson
Graphic Designer, Awesome Creative
Dominika Stanczyk
Designer, Open Water
Lindsay Koffler
Graphic Designer, Refinery29
Amee Wilson
Art Director, Clemenger BBDO
Lily Moore
Designer at Sotheby’s
Braden Floris
Designer, GoFundMe
Ashley Ronning
Illustrator and Founder of Helio Press
Tahmena Lutfi
Digital Designer, Qantas and Jetstar Hotels
Anara Davletaliyeva
UX Designer and Developer, Appliances Online
Tiffany Yee
Designer, Forever 21
Amy Sheehan
Art Director, Insider Inc.
Emma Ladlow
Designer, University of Nottingham Students' Union
Alexis Waller
Design Director, R/GA
Halah El Kholy
In-House Designer, Brew Tea Co
Jess White
Junior Graphic Designer, Just Media Design
Bobby Hendry
Designer, Brilliant Logic
Jessica Bakker
Junior Graphic Designer, Beyond Communications
Lauren Dannenberg
Designer, Mary's Group
Arnold Omanyo
UX/UI Designer, Digital on Demand
Dawn Moloney
Founder, A Making Life
Miranda Mayne
Freelance Graphic Designer
Caroline Keefe
Freelance, Nickelodeon
Paul and Amoni Liddell
Graphic Designers, Westpac CX and Feel
Meredith Wallis
Designer, King & Partners
Ocki Magill
Founder, Letter Bug Studios
Victoire Scherer
Junior Graphic Designer, Neoscape
Anika George
Designer, AKQA
Liana Modolo
UX Designer, Rex Software
Kelly Hansen
Graphic Designer, Amazon Books
Mikel McCavana
Designer, Moment
Alexander Wu-Kim
Concept Creative, ANDPEOPLE Australia
Jing Ong
Designer, Autumn
Kirsten McColl
Designer, WH-O
Nicole Rogers
Designer, Birchbox
Pooja Dharia
Branding Designer, FCB Health
Erin Donati
Founder, Harley Quinn & Co.
Jackson Todd
Art Director, Van Der Zwaag
Andy Vargas
Designer, Bitâcora
Moshe Bien
Designer, Nucleus
Crystal Lin
Designer, DNA Design
Stephen Grace
Designer, Christopher Doyle & Co.
Eleanor Rogers
Letterpress Printer, Chapel Press
Andy Tharagonnet
Designer, ThumbsUp
Ben Peters
Freelance Graphic Designer
Brad Holten
Designer, Big Idea
Natalia Baker
Freelance Graphic Designer
Molly Sitter
Studio Designer, Spring St. Social Society
Guy Pittard
Freelance Graphic Designer
Bea Sambalido
Freelance Graphic Designer
Peta Harris
Graphic Designer, Macquarie University
Oceane Combeau
Designer, Fernand et Firmin
Anna Mullin
Illustrator, Sneaky Racoon
Theo Witrylak
Visual Designer, EPAM
Stephanie Antill
Founder, St Clement Creative
Paul McKie and Myles Sharpe
Directors, Autumn
Pete Conforto
Designer, For The People
Roo Cassels
Designer, Big Fish
Nicol Reid
Founder, Little Creative
James Birks
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
David Scott
Designer, The Mix
Jane Durlacher
Graphic Designer, Paper Stone Scissors
Rachel Lee
Freelance Graphic Designer
Janno Saft
Founder, frank wo
Sean Raynor
Designer, Watermark Studio
Vanessa Burgess
Graphic Designer, Tritium
Olivier Adam
Freelance Graphic Designer
Cari Sekendur
Art Director, LMNOP Creative
Alexandra Menzies
Freelance Graphic Designer
Margherita Baldi
Freelance Visual Designer
Tim Jones
Brand Experience Director, venturethree
Carla Scotto
Freelance Graphic Designer
Meg Walker
Designer, Milkshake
Christina Capetola
Designer at Wayfair
Louise Hamer
Design Lead, We Are Empire
Ina Estrada
Founder, Par Vous Designs
Sam Jacobs
Senior Designer, Time Inc.
Ulrika Johnson
Designer, Fantasia Accessories
Henriette van Baren
Graphic Designer, ABC Carpet & Home
Charly Tudor
Graphic Designer, Holdens
Lola Irwanto
Graphic Designer, Princess Polly