Why I chose to study Design for Publishing

Our Graphics courses at NUA are unique. During the first year, students dabble in all four specialisms, before choosing their route to pursue in year two and three. In this blog, Year Two BA (Hons) Design for Publishing student Amber Conte tells us about why she chose Design for Publishing at NUA.

What is Design for Publishing?

Design for Publishing is probably the most specialised course out of the Graphics courses at NUA.

We work on all sorts of projects, with a big emphasis on editorial design and content creation. The briefs we work on often require a really keen eye for detail and a strong sense of narrative and flow.

Why did you choose it out of the four graphics pathways?

I chose it for a lot of reasons! First of all, this course is what attracted me to NUA in the first place. It’s pretty unique which I felt would give me an edge in industry.

I’ve always been drawn to editorial design, and I also love creating my own content through illustration and photography, so I felt this course was perfect for me in that sense.

Throughout my first year at uni tutors kept noticing that my editorial work was especially strong, which was another factor in me choosing the Publishing course! Overall I’m really happy that I’ve chosen this route, as I’ve loved all the projects that we’ve been assigned so far!

Why did you choose to study at NUA?

Visiting the campus and meeting the staff made it immediately obvious that everyone was really passionate about what they taught, which was the most important factor to me. I also just really loved the city itself and liked the atmosphere.

What’s been your favourite project so far?

My favourite project so far has been the Type Terminology project, where we were prompted to create two editorial spreads for a magazine which paid close attention to type detailing and overall layout.

I chose a scientific article as my topic because ‘academic’ literature is something that is very difficult for me (and pretty much everyone, if we’re being honest) to read for pleasure.

I wanted to use design to make this content more accessible to a wider demographic of readers who might be drawn to read an article designed with a bit of humour and whimsy rather than traditional and bland design used in academic journals. 

What would be your dream project to work on IRL?

My dream project would be free reign and unlimited budget to create all the graphics for the first human-alien convention in space!

I would love to collaborate with alien designers (I’m sure there’s gotta be some of those out there) and blend our technologies to create something that would be elegantly designed and useful for both terrestrial and non-terrestrial beings! 

My slightly more ‘down to earth’ dream is to land a job as a book cover designer and eventually work my way up to a creative director position.

Why is graphics important?

I think graphic design transcends the industry or profession. Graphic design is part of our culture, our history, the way we see and understand the world around us.

Good design can bring people together, build communities, and allows for society to function smoothly.

Bad design results in people pushing on doors you’re meant to pull.

I’m a designer because I believe this profession bridges all aspects of life as we know it, and to design well is to make the world a better place a little bit at a time. 

Explore BA (Hons) Design for Publishing