Hear straight from our graduates.
I couldn’t have dreamt of a better environment, especially at such a vulnerable time of my life where doubts and uncertainty were daily companions.
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Araki Koman
What were you up to before Shillington?
I was working as a Search Engine Marketing Analyst for Microsoft France. It was my second job after graduating from my Master’s degree in Marketing. Within a year I switched between a multitasking role in a startup to a more specific role in a bigger company, thinking it would bring me the inner satisfaction I was looking for. Although the working conditions were great, I knew I definitely wasn’t following the right path.
Why did you decide to study design? Why Shillington?
I was a creative child, constantly drawing and imagining myself as a graphic designer, illustrator, architect or fashion designer. However, when I reached my teenage years with all the insecurities and self-doubt that comes with it, I lost touch with my creative side and stopped drawing altogether for 10 years. Growing up, no one around me was working in the creative industry.
I come from a working class and second generation immigrant background. At the time, doing a creative job felt like a fantasy, far away from the reality I was surrounded with. Investing money to enroll into a business school felt like a smarter and safer choice at the time. Luckily, during my studies, I got to travel a lot for internships and exchange programs and expanded my perspective. I met friends living from their creative work and went to countries where art was more inclusive than in my native Paris. After quitting my second marketing job, I went to New York to visit a Graphic Designer friend. At the time I was already considering studying design, but the good Paris design schools I was interested in had an age limit. At 24, I was considered too old to enroll. When I bumped into a Shillington ad in an independent magazine in Williamsburg, I instantly knew it’s where I needed to study.
From the teaching quality following design principles and industry standards, the flexibility (9 months part-time/ 3 months full time), to learning how to master the main design softwares while building a professional portfolio… I couldn’t have dreamt of a better environment, especially at such a vulnerable time of my life where doubts and uncertainty were daily companions.
What have you been up to since graduating?
Right after graduating, I found a freelance graphic design job in a creative London studio. I initially started as a paid intern for one month and ended up being hired. I then felt the need to explore my creativity more and moved to Iceland for a textile design internship, then enrolled into a fashion design course in Denmark to finally realise my drawing potential during a fashion illustration course. It took few more years working as a creative consultant and graphic designer before embracing a full time freelance illustrator career 2 years ago.
Any tips for someone thinking of changing careers? (1) Embracing my creativity have been an amazing self-discovery journey! (2) Follow your curiosity, it will expand your life’s perspective and your potential in tremendous ways. (3) Each new skills and experiences you’ll learn will add up to each other and will help you design a life and career tailored for you. A great asset in the era we currently live in.
Visit Araki’s website.
Photo by Fran Hales.
I couldn’t have dreamt of a better environment, especially at such a vulnerable time of my life where doubts and uncertainty were daily companions.
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Araki Koman
What were you up to before Shillington?
I was working as a Search Engine Marketing Analyst for Microsoft France. It was my second job after graduating from my Master’s degree in Marketing. Within a year I switched between a multitasking role in a startup to a more specific role in a bigger company, thinking it would bring me the inner satisfaction I was looking for. Although the working conditions were great, I knew I definitely wasn’t following the right path.
Why did you decide to study design? Why Shillington?
I was a creative child, constantly drawing and imagining myself as a graphic designer, illustrator, architect or fashion designer. However, when I reached my teenage years with all the insecurities and self-doubt that comes with it, I lost touch with my creative side and stopped drawing altogether for 10 years. Growing up, no one around me was working in the creative industry.
I come from a working class and second generation immigrant background. At the time, doing a creative job felt like a fantasy, far away from the reality I was surrounded with. Investing money to enroll into a business school felt like a smarter and safer choice at the time. Luckily, during my studies, I got to travel a lot for internships and exchange programs and expanded my perspective. I met friends living from their creative work and went to countries where art was more inclusive than in my native Paris. After quitting my second marketing job, I went to New York to visit a Graphic Designer friend. At the time I was already considering studying design, but the good Paris design schools I was interested in had an age limit. At 24, I was considered too old to enroll. When I bumped into a Shillington ad in an independent magazine in Williamsburg, I instantly knew it’s where I needed to study.
From the teaching quality following design principles and industry standards, the flexibility (9 months part-time/ 3 months full time), to learning how to master the main design softwares while building a professional portfolio… I couldn’t have dreamt of a better environment, especially at such a vulnerable time of my life where doubts and uncertainty were daily companions.
What have you been up to since graduating?
Right after graduating, I found a freelance graphic design job in a creative London studio. I initially started as a paid intern for one month and ended up being hired. I then felt the need to explore my creativity more and moved to Iceland for a textile design internship, then enrolled into a fashion design course in Denmark to finally realise my drawing potential during a fashion illustration course. It took few more years working as a creative consultant and graphic designer before embracing a full time freelance illustrator career 2 years ago.
Any tips for someone thinking of changing careers? (1) Embracing my creativity have been an amazing self-discovery journey! (2) Follow your curiosity, it will expand your life’s perspective and your potential in tremendous ways. (3) Each new skills and experiences you’ll learn will add up to each other and will help you design a life and career tailored for you. A great asset in the era we currently live in.
Visit Araki’s website.
Photo by Fran Hales.
Julia Hoolahan
Art Director, Home Beautiful
Seyi Ogunlade
Freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer
Jess Goodall
Digital Designer, Pistachio Design
Stephanie Halovanic
Creative Producer, &Walsh
Megan Voo
UX/UI & Content Designer, Ignite Online
Gerald Torto
Strategist, Re Agency
Romayne Gadelrab
Freelance Graphic Designer
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
Ariana Villegas
Designer, Simplecast
Ray Wong
Designer, Oink Creative
Johanna Hagenauer
Brand / Product Designer, Rexlabs
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
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
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