Graphic Design 2003-2006

Moving back to Summer 2003. A couple of months after completing the Edinburgh Marathon & other races, I entered the HND Graphic Design course at Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy, Fife. I used drawn, computer, photographic and more pracical techniques to create various designs for eg. posters, CD & book covers, food labels, letterheads, business cards, presentation displays, etc.

On the 2nd year of the course, I worked with teams to design & produce concepts for websites and other and internet related media. In 2005, the Fife based graphic design company Catchline selected 3 students including myself to enter a short work placement with them. I was offered the project of designing and presenting my own range of product designs for the cosemtics company 'Wella'. I created a line of deodorant & hairspray containers for the use of endurance athletes called 'INVINCI'. I presented the designs to an executive manager from Wells, the Catchline manager, and my college tutors. My pitch was very well recieved. My audience said they were impressed by the presentation and my designs. The presentation boards are shown here (the highly detailed back, white & yellow designs with the icy mountin backdrop.

During the 2nd year of the course (2004-2005) my athletics training was at an all-time peak. My Running was as major a priority as my college work. However as i became a better runner, I also began to realise what my main passion was, and my training became less & less. Toward the end of 2005, I decided to focus my concentration into my art work.

In September 2005, I began my 3rd year of Graphic Design work, which would conclude by gaining an Advanced Diploma. This is where my journey into animation & film started.
My year began with what I entitled 'The Serene Project. I produced an extensively detailed A1 sized drawing of a fictional stucture I decided would be called Mount Serene. The massive working/residential structure is shaped as a defensively positioned Hand (also a representation of Peace). It was built on the section of land- Platinum Point, extended out from the city of Edinburgh onto the River Forth. The palm of the hand faces toward the eastern world in an almighty gesture of Peace.
(The main drawing of this design and accompanying photographic images are not currently shown on this webpage. I plan to present them as soon as possible.)

In this 3rd year of the course, I completed other design projects including a website, a concept for a CD-Rom, plus 2 short animations with the use of programs- Freehand, Photoshop and Director. I began to use existing music for the first time with my onscreen media. These used soundtracks included some of my favourite music such as- Hans Zimmer's scores from Gladiator & Batman Begins, James Horner's score from Braveheart, and Thomas Newman's score form Road to Perdition.
(These peices of media are not currently saved in a format which is publish-able on this webpage. But I do plan to present them here when I can.)