We are super excited to announce our top 16 students and graduates for 2016! Our awards this year replace our Annual Show, which each year has teamed the best students and graduates up with a Creative Director one-on-one for an exhibition. Over the last 3 years, we’ve held a total of 16 exhibitions, with 740 people taken part in total. Its been a crazy ride and we thought this was the year to mix things up a little. Combine this with our annual blog post for the hottest talent for the year to come (see 14 for 2014 and 15 for 2015 we’ve combined both initiatives into one – our first ‘TDK Graphic Design Awards 2015’. We invited 5 industry leaders to judge the work and will showcase the results to our ever growing design network. Win win! Also for the first time ever, we are including NZ in our listings, welcome.
Our judges were chosen for taking part in all our shows to date, and being heavily involved in the TDK network. Plus we love their work!
Andy Sargent, SouthSouthWest
Michaela Webb, Studio Round
Jack Mussett, Motherbird
Jonathan Wallace, Alter
Simon Hipgrave, The Hungry Workshop
Frankie Ratford, The Design Kids
*… And here are our 2015 winners, congrats guys! *
Alice Mulleeney — @a_______.m
Melbourne
RMIT
Jack’s pick: What I liked about Alice’s work is that it is immediately visually striking—it draws you in and you want to discover more. She has a strong type sensibility and a high level of attention to detail in regard to balancing visual information.
Read interview
Amery Leslie Johnston — @
Melbourne
Monash University
Jono’s pick: This portfolio is a little enigmatic and challenging. It also shows discipline, process and curiosity. Next stop, client work. Love to see how that goes! Disclosure, I remembered meeting Amery after judging this folio, seems I’m always attracted to his work. (note: this folio was animated)
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Ann Chen — @ann_chenna
Melbourne
RMIT
Jack’s pick: The breadth and variation in Ann’s work was very impressive. Both digital and print formats have been explored as an extension of branding, which displays a good understanding of where design is heading.
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Brenton Osborn — @brentonosborn
Melbourne
Monash University
Andy’s pick: Brenton’s folio made an impression because his cultural and personal influences come though in his projects which is refreshing. We always look for an element of this whenever we add to our team.
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Carolyn Ang — @carolyn.ang
Melbourne
Monash University
Jono’s pick: A good example of considered colour, typography and styling. My constructive feedback would be that I’d love to look closer. Details of publication pages would be great and I would be happy to see some of the focus on treatment stripped away to make space for this.
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Lachlan Siu — @lachysiu
Melbourne
Monash University
Michaela’s pick: A really good mix of different commercially appropriate projects. All beautifully presented. The work is simple, bold and beautifully executed.
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Luke Tiziani — @luketiziani
Melbourne
RMIT
Jack’s pick: Luke’s work is incredibly minimal yet doesn’t subscribe to any particular trend. The conceptual element to Luke’s work is both very interesting and nicely refreshing.
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Jess Xuan — @jesskxuan
Melbourne
Monash University
Simon’s pick: Jess’ folio immediately stood out. Brief, bright and clear resume outlines her work experience, education and awards without anything extraneous. It’s simple, but has everything required for a junior position – she’s not trying to beef it up. The presentation is consistent and functional making the folio easy to digest. I didn’t have to work hard to view the work – which makes a big difference when your’e reviewing hundreds of folios. The work itself is interesting and broad. Projects show a good illustrative skills and an eye for production techniques such as binding and finishing. Great use of colour throughout, but also restraint in the final project.
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Madeline Deneys — @mad_deneys
Melbourne
Monash University
Simon’s pick: Great overall folio. Clean and clear resume, followed by an interesting range of work. A focus on typography concept and colour, across a range of projects. Some simple finishing techniques that are really well executed on real world projects. Common executional trends such as hand drawn type and sign painting are used in innovative, interesting and non traditional ways.
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Nicolaos Symeou — @nicksymeou.creative
Melbourne
Tractor
Jono’s pick: I’m drawn to the overall presentation of this folio. It demonstrates varied, but restrained use of colour. Beauty is visible in the details, such as a cast fluorescent glow of typography on skin. There’s a confidence in the economy of the work. Nice one.
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Paul Sin — @paul.sin_
Melbourne
Monash University
Michaela’s pick: A refined portfolio with a mix of playful typography, considered identity and a very successful contemporary san serif typeface. All projects are really well articulated which is rare to see with designers at this level.
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Roydon Misseldine — @roydoncvm
Wellington
Yoobee Design School
Michaela’s pick (fellow kiwi!): A really good mix of different items that all seemed very appropriate to their mediums and applications. From cheese packaging, editorial, fashion, and identity. The work is playful, contemporary and beautifully considered.
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Ryan Vincent — @ryantjv
Perth
Curtin University
Andy’s pick: Ryan’s folio was a clear standout. The work is thoughtful and well resolved. With so many strong examples for each project, it clearly demonstrates ability, dedication and enjoyment which really resonated.
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Sean Kane — @seankanedesign
Adelaide
University of SA
Andy’s pick: Sean’s folio resonated due to its well presented template and format, the diversity of high quality projects across different sectors and mediums as well as a fluency in describing the brief, approach, process and outcome.
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Tess Stokes — @tesstokes
Melbourne
Academy of Design/La Trobe University
Simon’s pick: I think the folio is best viewed in reverse. Overall the folio displays a lot of ‘hands on’ technique and finishing: paint, paper cuts, illustrative and typographic executions, but the executions aren’t over the top. The personal identity project reflects an interest in these techniques and packages up her interests in a conceptual delivery.
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Tim Munro — @tim.munro
Melbourne
Tractor Design School
Frankie’s pick: Tim’s work is delightful and each project felt unique to him. Nicely laid out, consistant and well considered. Well done Tim!
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