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Creative development
The course deals with communication through images, words, sound and sequence. This involves you in a fantastic range of media and processes. You will be shown how to use traditional and electronic media, how to approach a brief, how to get inspiration from research, how to think more creatively, how to analyse your own and others’ work. There will be opportunities to specialise and opportunities to experiment with all forms of visual communication. You will be encouraged to create the words and images you work with, and to interpret content provided by others: poetic, lyrical, informational, formal, informal, dramatic or political.
Basically, if you have something worth saying, we’ll help you find the most powerful way of saying it.
Julian Wiedemann & Andy Niven: Expressive Letterforms poster
The first year provides the basic principles of visual communication and the technical skills to help you communicate your ideas with originality and impact.
In Year Two we begin to deal with more complex communication, and provide an opportunity for specialisation in either word-based, image-based or time-based communication (although there are plenty of overlaps). Year Two ends with a formal Exhibition from which a number of local and national design companies select students for summer work-experience – frequently leading to permanent job offers for the students concerned. The third year focuses on presenting you with professional and creative challenges through live briefs and competitions, and through a range of quirky projects intended to help you think ‘out of the box’. There is increasing opportunity for you to set your own project briefs and a sign-up tutorial system encourages students to plan and manage their own schedules. The public Degree Show is the culmination of this period. The shows are a part of the Cardiff Design Festival and generally result in a number of job offers after the Professional Design evening when companies are invited to a private view.
Throughout all three years you will be encouraged to develop as an individual, to follow your own interests and passions within the broad professional context of graphic communication. This approach has helped Cardiff to gain a strong reputation for individuality and diversity of student outcomes.
News
W-TWO-ONE-0
We are delighted to launch the inaugural issue of W-TWO-ONE-O design magazine, written and produced by first-year students on the BA Graphic Communication programme at Cardiff School of Art & Design. It reflects both theoretical and practical understandings of the major cultural/visual movements of the last century – revealed through studio projects, articles about designers, and through the design of the magazine itself.
posted 9th Mar '10
New work added
The second year 'sustainable:me' project has been added to the 'Student work & links' page.
For this project, students were asked to focus on the sustainability of their practice as Graphic Communicators.
View a selection of images here.
posted 2nd Mar '10
4-Designers
Our annual student trip to the 4 Designers Conference took place again this year, between 22nd-23rd Feb, and an enjoyable, inspiring time was had by all.
Among the speakers were Patrick Baglee and Lise Brian, and the designers of the SomeOne design agency.
posted 28th Feb '10
UWIC Christmas e-card
This year's UWIC Christmas e-card has been designed by 3rd year Graphic Communication student Jo Hawker. Take a look at it here. Well done Jo!
posted 13th Dec 09
Reflective Journal
A piece of work by Matthew Weeks has been added to the student work and links page, documenting and reflecting on his first term as a Graphics student at CSAD.
posted 8th Dec 09
The inaugural AUCB & CSAD Undergraduate Symposium - November 27 2009
The event was carefully conceived to give all final year graphics students from CSAD and Bournemouth Arts University College a timely opportunity to share, and reflect upon some of their wide-ranging research and academic thought – so often confined to the bound, written submission enjoyed only by examiners.
posted 1st Dec 09
Students work featured
Four designers featured in a new book about Marmite are current students or recent graduates of the BA Graphic Communication programme. 'The Bumper Book of Marmite' published by Absolute Press features work by 2008 graduates Ben Clay and Rebecca Cooke, and current 3rd year students Richie Evans and Harriet Cooper. The book is designed by another BA Graphics graduate and friend of the course, Claire Siggery.
posted 17th Nov 09
Politics Show feature
Third year Graphics students Joanne Hawker and Ritchie Evans have designed a poster for a feature on BBC's The Politics Show being aired this coming Sunday (15th Nov) at 12.15pm. A film crew came and filmed Jo and Ritchie in the studio working on their design. Congratulations to you both.
View the BBC article here.
posted 13th Nov 09
Fice Featured
Andrew Fice, 2006 BAGC graduate and friend of the course, has been featured as a 'rising star' in this weeks Design Week magazine. Currently working for Parker Williams Design, Fice has worked on some big brands such as Waitrose and WKD. View a scan of the article here.
posted 23rd Oct 09
Computer Arts Feature
Third year Jo Hawker has had her portfolio scrutinised by experts in October's Computer Arts magazine. Jo was praised for her ability to generate concepts then design and implement her ideas. Well done Jo! View a scan of the portfolio clinic on the W210 blog.
posted 22nd Oct 09
Student work in Design Festival
Third year work by recent graduates Tom Harle and Alex Scott has been chosen for inclusion in this year's 'exposé' exhibition of graduate work, part of the Cardiff Design Festival. View the work in the 3rd year section of the 'Student work and links' webpage.
posted 18th Oct 09
SLuG becomes W210
Salt has been poured on the SLuG blog, but it's been replaced by the W210 blog - still the same great taste and groaning with interesting links. Take a look here.
posted 15th Sept 09
New Blood 2009
A few images from the New Blood 2009 Exhibition have been added to the SLuG blog.
posted 14th July 09
YCN Commendation
Chris Welsby has received a commendation for his entry into YCN National Portrait Gallery competition.
posted 29th May 09
Insight
Congratulations to Libby Morgan, Andrew Penny, Gareth Dunt and Francis Daly, winners of awards at this year's second year show.
posted 26th May 09
