Graphic Design - Student Profiles

Tom Drysdale

Course: Graphic Design
Date: 2005 - 2008

Having graduated from High School in 2003 I was unclear on exactly where my future lay. As I was interested in art and design, I decided to spend a year at college in Glasgow developing my portfolio, with the aim of applying to art school. Duncan of Jordanstone really shone through, and having checked out the competition, I felt that it was the place for me. The first year general course was a great way to test the water and led me to study graphic design for the next three years.

As for the city of Dundee, I loved it. Smaller than Glasgow or Edinburgh, and twice as friendly, Dundee has everything that you would expect of a city yet still maintains its own very unique personality.

It is only with hindsight that I can appreciate just how beneficial those three years were for me in getting to where I am currently. I quite often find myself relating experiences I have now at the start of my career to lessons that I learnt during my time studying graphics. I feel that this is testament to just how well the course prepared me for life after university. I also found that the course allowed me the freedom to pursue and develop my own particular interests and skills, the benefits of which cannot be underestimated. In addition, the course tutors were great at providing both direction and encouragement a real driving force.

It has been just over a year since I graduated and I'm pleased to say that I am now working for a very successful Design and Marketing agency in London as a junior designer. I cannot speak highly enough of DJCAD.

Malcolm Buick

Course: Bdes (Hons) Graphic Design Gold Star
Date: 1992 -1995

Duncan of Jordanstone is a great design school, and I love the city of Dundee. When I was applying for my first year at art college Dundee seemed like Mecca, and getting into the art school felt like something out of my reach, so when I got in, I was ecstatic.

The classes at the time were fairly small, the facilities were great, and we were encouraged to cross over into other disciplines, for example motion, screen printing, architecture, sound, photography. This was key for me as I moved into the professional world, understanding design beyond your own comfort zone is paramount.

The small homey feeling of the city was good and the views of the Tay from the 3rd year design studio were amazing. I was part of a great team of designers and we pushed each other and really tried to make a statement coming from Dundee. The course provided us with opportunities to compete on the world stage, have placements at renowned design studios, and learn from a good crew of lecturers who understood the craft in design, and the importance of that as a foundation for success.

After I graduated from DJCAD I did a stint at Pure Design in Edinburgh, but I was looking for more of a challenge, so after 6 months I headed south to London to make a name for myself.

On my arrival in London all I really wanted to do was design record sleeves. I loved the work of Mark Farrow but didnt have enough experience to get a job with him, so I worked with an old partner of his at a place called Form. I was there for 4 years and then moved on to another music shop Zip Design for a year, great times, great fun! Alas it was short, but very sweet.

Ive always skated, BMXd etc and been drawn to the American culture so after Zip Design I packed my bags and moved to the mountains of Vermont to take up a position as a design director at JDK, and luckily my client was Burton Snowboards. I stayed in the safety of the mountains for 4 years, travelled the world with Burton, hanging off the edge of mountains and living the good life.

I currently work for global branding agency Wolff Olins in their New York office.

My experience at Duncan of Jordanstone prepared me for life beyond art school. Art school is great, its a place to experiment, be silly, make mistakes and learn.

Jim Richardson

Course: Graphic Design
Date: 1995 - 1998

The graphic design course was recommended to me by a design agency in Edinburgh. They told me if I wanted to work at a good agency, I needed a degree from Duncan of Jordanstone. I visited the city and it confirmed my decision . I really liked Dundee, the college and the course tutors.

The fact that DJCAD was part of the University of Dundee was great for the social side of student life. The union brought together students from all kinds of courses.

The tuition at Duncan of Jordanstone is second to none, the lecturers really care about the students and they always had the time to talk about my work and make sure that I was getting as much out of the course as possible.

I know that this hasn't changed because I have employed four graduates from DJCAD over the past decade and each has had their own story of how the tutors went out of their way to make them better designers.

When I graduated I found that I had quite a few job offers and I settled on an agency in Glasgow who I admired.

I now run a design agency called Sumo in Newcastle upon Tyne. We specialise in working with clients in the arts and cultural sectors, and that can be anything from developing a Facebook application for the BBC to creating an advertising campaign for the Natural History Museum, from branding art galleries, to building exhibitions on design.

My agency has employed four graduates from Duncan of Jordanstone over the past ten years, and I always know where to go when I am looking for talented young designers.