Hear straight from our graduates.
Work hard and give 100% during the course. It will pay off.
Design Director, Porto Rocha
Joseph Lebus
What initially attracted you to study at Shillington and was your experience what you expected it to be?
I had spent 4 years studying languages at Durham University, and I jumped quickly into a job without really thinking about what really interested me and where I wanted to be. Graphic design started to really appeal, mainly due to the unique way in which it allows us to push ourselves aesthetically and conceptually at the same time. Shillington will give you a solid foundation and starting point from which to grow as a graphic designer.
Can you share with us some of your favourite highlights from your 3 months at Shillington?
Three highlights! (1) The class trip to F.E. Burman, which provided an amazing insight into the world of printing and its possibilities. (2) The handmade project, which gave us the chance to get really hands on with our ideas and create something tangible and three-dimensional. A nice change from the screens! (3) And portfolio week, which felt like the culmination of a lot of hard work and determination.
Some are dubious of the ability to learn graphic design in 3 months—can you tell us a bit about some of the course content which stood out for you?
I think it depends on your understanding of learning. Shillington gives you an amazing technical understanding and grounding to start a career in the world of design. The resources and teaching is amazing and they offer so much support. However, I do think that in order to place this technical understanding within the context of graphic design as a whole, and to engage with that context and develop your own unique practice, more time is important.
Your path to becoming a designer hasn’t been particularly conventional as you studied Modern Languages at Durham University—was it difficult being at Shillington as a newcomer to design?
It was difficult to an extent, but I strongly believe you can achieve pretty much anything with enough drive and determination. So as long as you work hard and put all your energy into each day you will be on the same page pretty quickly!
Now that you’re a part of our international graduate network Shillumni, what advice would you give to current students?
Work hard and give 100% during the course. It will pay off.
Visit Joseph’s website and check out his interview on It’s Nice That.
Work hard and give 100% during the course. It will pay off.
Design Director, Porto Rocha
Joseph Lebus
What initially attracted you to study at Shillington and was your experience what you expected it to be?
I had spent 4 years studying languages at Durham University, and I jumped quickly into a job without really thinking about what really interested me and where I wanted to be. Graphic design started to really appeal, mainly due to the unique way in which it allows us to push ourselves aesthetically and conceptually at the same time. Shillington will give you a solid foundation and starting point from which to grow as a graphic designer.
Can you share with us some of your favourite highlights from your 3 months at Shillington?
Three highlights! (1) The class trip to F.E. Burman, which provided an amazing insight into the world of printing and its possibilities. (2) The handmade project, which gave us the chance to get really hands on with our ideas and create something tangible and three-dimensional. A nice change from the screens! (3) And portfolio week, which felt like the culmination of a lot of hard work and determination.
Some are dubious of the ability to learn graphic design in 3 months—can you tell us a bit about some of the course content which stood out for you?
I think it depends on your understanding of learning. Shillington gives you an amazing technical understanding and grounding to start a career in the world of design. The resources and teaching is amazing and they offer so much support. However, I do think that in order to place this technical understanding within the context of graphic design as a whole, and to engage with that context and develop your own unique practice, more time is important.
Your path to becoming a designer hasn’t been particularly conventional as you studied Modern Languages at Durham University—was it difficult being at Shillington as a newcomer to design?
It was difficult to an extent, but I strongly believe you can achieve pretty much anything with enough drive and determination. So as long as you work hard and put all your energy into each day you will be on the same page pretty quickly!
Now that you’re a part of our international graduate network Shillumni, what advice would you give to current students?
Work hard and give 100% during the course. It will pay off.
Visit Joseph’s website and check out his interview on It’s Nice That.
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