Muso turned designer graduates
This week marks the start of graduation for 1800 UCOL students, including one with a passion for music that led him to a dream design job.
Chris Percy says he played a bit of guitar in a high school band, but was never that good. But he wanted to be a part of the music scene, so started designing posters, album covers and branding for bands.
In 2013, he started a three-year bachelor of visual imaging at UCOL in Palmerston North and took every opportunity to improve his design skills and take on music projects.
‘‘I was really interested in screen printing and was teaching myself, and we were given plenty of room to do exactly what we wanted.’’
Percy has specialised in illustration and graphic design, and says he’s especially pleased that during the three years he always forced himself to produce work he was proud of, no matter how tired he was.
‘‘I made a huge progression in terms of skills in three years.
‘‘And finding a style has been a huge thing. That’s important for creatives.
‘‘I like vector graphics, digital work and vibrant colours.’’
In his final year he began approaching businesses, offering to take on ‘‘real world’’ work for his study projects.
The experience taught him a lot about communication, helping clients work through their own design needs and provided some tricky curve ball projects for design practice.
And the projects and initiative impressed a screen printing company, who hired him for his dream job, starting five days after his course ended in December.
‘‘I love the variety of my job. I get a lot of people come in wanting stag-do shirts and creative stuff and branding.
"I get a lot of people come in wanting stagdo shirts and creative stuff and branding." Chris Percy
‘‘I really like having to adapt to people’s ideas and make them into something and the responses and reception that you get from some of the clients – they are appreciative.’’
Percy said it was ‘‘cool’’ to see his designs on T-shirts around town, and amazing to celebrate ‘‘three years of hard work’’ at graduation.
Two UCOL Palmerston North graduation ceremonies were held in Palmerston North on Tuesday and another is planned for Wednesday. In Wairarapa, the UCOL graduation takes place March 28, and in Whanganui, on March 30.
About 1800 graduands are eligible to receive certificates, diplomas, degrees and post graduate qualifications. In Palmerston North and Wairarapa, the largest numbers graduate with qualifications in health and science. In Whanganui, the largest group graduates with an adult education qualification.