Hasta La Ideas

Designer Ciara Fitzgerald visited Dublin’s National College of Art & Design Visual Communication degree show and chose to highlight the work of seven students that she felt really stood out…

David Lawler designed the identity of the 2013 Visual Communication class, using the visual language of cartography to convey the multidisciplinary nature of the course.

He also produced a booklet (above) that accompanied the exhibition (which he also co-ordinated) of the special edition Risograph prints designed by each of the students.

Aaron Canning redesigned the 2011-2012 World Nuclear Report, aiming to display the information as clearly and concisely as possible. The report itself was hard bound and embossed while the accompanying supplement was printed on newsprint. For better, more detailed images please visit Aaronʼs Behance profile.

Andrew Keating designed an annual report for The Irish Times. Using their 2011 figures he divided the report into four sections contained within two separate books. A sixteen-page newsprint piece was also produced which briefly documents the history of the newspaper, while also giving details about each of its past editors.

Becky Moriarty explored the 2012 ISTD project brief, It Happened on this Day, using it to examine the involvement of the design industry in public holidays. Making April Fools Day an official holiday, she created an identity and also designed and produced a range of celebration stationery to promote Aprils Fools in 2013.

Julianne McMahon wrote, designed and produced an illustrated childrenʼs book entitled Digbyʼs Big Adventure. Her beautifully detailed illustrations were created using both ink and gouache.

In addition to the book, she devised an accompanying adventure journal and a special toolkit to encourage children to engage in their own big adventure.

Oliver Callan designed an album cover, book and a limited edition poster (printed on cotton) for The War of the Worlds Limited Edition (1979 version) album. The book contains the storyʼs narration; the poster illustration was inspired by a line from the album, and all three are housed in a wooden box.

Upon leaving the Visual Communications exhibition, I headed up a floor to have a look at the work from the BA in Design and Education course. Shane Murray had created a series of posters exploring the idea of rivalry within sport – I particularly liked the Rangers v Celtic one.

The NCAD’s Visual Communication degree show took place between 15-23 June. Ciara Fitzgerald is a graphic designer currently based in Tramore, Co. Waterford. See ciarafitzgerald.com.