Students show design creativity
For those with time on their hands and a creative streak, Massey University’s College of Creative Arts and Weta Workshop are calling for entries for a design competition.
The college has partnered with Weta and other industry sponsors to launch Earth Guardians to celebrate the launch of the university’s new concept design major.
The competition has two age categories – one for senior students aged 15 to 19, and another for junior students aged 12 to 14.
Entrants are asked to create a character to defend the Earth, using nature and the elements to inspire their designs.
The last round of the junior competition, years 9 and 10, started on April 22 and will finish on April 28 but the senior competition is open until July 1.
There had been two sets of winners announced already.
Lucy Forman, 13, had a winning design in the Go Game category with Welery the Water Celery. Her guardian turned into a super rubbish collector, and the game she designed saw the player collect rubbish from bins and make it up the ladder.
‘‘I like to draw every now and then but designing a concept was something new. I enjoyed the challenge,’’ Lucy said.
Concept design involved anything from designing characters, creatures, props, vehicles, and machines, to building entire worlds of feature films, theme parks, events, toys or exhibits.
Nurani Kanzas, 13, was a winner in the Go
Toon category. ‘‘There’s something special about watching a random idea in your head become something finished on paper, and knowing that you were the one to create it.’’
Senior concept artist at Weta Workshop and competition judge Paul Tobin said there were tremendous possibilities for students wanting to head into a career like this.
‘‘So many Weta Workshop concept designers started at home as kids, creating cool stuff out of everyday materials,’’ Tobin said.
Thirteen-year-old Nina-Jade Ballards’ guardian, Juno, was inspired by crystals, mushrooms, and the woodland. Juno summoned fire from the earth’s core and could manipulate flames to aid her.
‘‘Design and drawing are both a giant part of my life, before and during the lockdown,’’ Nina-Jade said. ‘‘I spend most of my time drawing and creating strange creatures.’’
The competition was the brainchild of Massey’s design kaiha¯ pa Astrid Visser, a multimedia artist, designer, and former high school teacher. She was also one of the judges.
During lockdown, schools needed resources to keep young minds busy at home, and the competition was the perfect fit, Visser said.
Isabella Fausett,13, said drawing had always been a part of her life. ‘‘Lockdown has given me a chance to improve my drawing ability, and this competition was a great way to do so.’’
For more details, visit creative.massey.ac.nz/ earthguardians/