Graphic Designers Win Gold

Three EIT graduates have struck gold for their employer, local design and print studio printing.com napier. The graphic designers each won gold in the independently-judged Redshift Design Awards, competing against more than 30 printing.com and Nettl design, web and print studios nationwide. Melissa McCormack’s award was in the books category for her work on the Napier Girls’ High School yearbook. Eden Clarkson won her creative services award for operational diagrams produced for Integrity Tank Cleaners CHB. Alexandra Dawson was awarded gold in the communications category for work done on Shattky Optometrists Bookmark. All three graduated from EIT’s Ideaschool with a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Design. Pointing out that the gold awards are for first in category and that there were only six categories, printing.com Napier’s managing director Chris McLean says the three achieved an impressive hat-trick. Chris, who purchased printing.com Napier’s parent company No 9 Marketing & Design in 2015, feels very fortunate with his EIT graduates – “all have been very good”. Leaving Napier Girls’ High School, Alex was drawn to study at EIT by the offer of a Year 13 Degree Scholarship. “And,” she adds, “I was not too ready to move out of home!” She liked that lecturers knew their students and that they were open to talking to them at any time. “You were not just a number, and even now I can still talk to them,” says Alex, who graduated in 2014. Eden moved from Auckland six years ago to study at EIT. “I didn’t know at that point what field I wanted to end up in,” she explains. “The degree structure gave me the flexibility I was looking for to explore different art and design media. “As soon as I made contact everything fell into place.” Now living in Napier after growing up in Havelock North, Melissa has always had a keen interest in painting. “The graphic design came from that – I was being practical in terms of a future career. “EIT had the facility for me to pursue that direction and to secure a job in the industry, whether in Hawke’s Bay or elsewhere,” she says of her decision to study locally. Chris recently joined Ideaschool’s advisory group and he also supports EIT in taking on an intern almost every year. “It’s good for us and good for them, and we are able to provide feedback to the school on what the students need to work on.” Photo: Graphic designers with the golden touch, Eden Clarkson (front), Melissa McCormack (centre) and Alexandra Dawson (back). Posted: 12 September 2018