Introduction
words of wisdom
Published by The Disciples Of Design, an imprint of UCLan; Words of Wisdom celebrates 45 years of the Graphic Design course in Preston. It features the selected words and work of 50 alumni, with a combined 1000 years worth of industry knowledge. Most importantly, it aims to further bridge the gap between education and industry, a core belief and focus of the course.
The advice and words themselves were derived through a pertinent set of questions designed with today’s student of design in mind. The answers within are pertinent, funny, unexpected, but above all useful; and we hope timeless to a degree.
The project was originally conceived online and initiated by handful of prominent staff and alumni on this platform. A labour of love for all those concerned, it initially took two years to collect the 50 profiles. Once committed to print, the project was taken on by Mike Kirkpatrick, then student, now senior designer at Re|Sydney. Some years later, with funding secured, 2020 saw the print of 1000 copies.
Alumni editors and contributors included Mike Rigby, Global SVP, ECD, RG/A NYC; Jennie Potts, Design Director, B&B Studio; Jordan Stokes, co-founder Secret 7; Claire Parker, ECD, Design Bridge; Jim Williams, author of Type Matters.
All the contributor interviews can be found on the Profiles Index.
Foreword by professor Ben Casey
British creative advertising and graphic design is recognised as being amongst the best in the world.
This owes much to an educational infrastructure that supplies the industry with a constant stream of fresh talent.
One of the most successful courses is run in the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. Over thirty years ago it helped transform design education by pioneering the first sandwich course in the UK. This effectively gave industry an active role in the training of young designers and art directors.
This section celebrates the success of this unique relationship and the graduates it produced. Much of the work you will have already seen in supermarkets, on the streets or even in your living room. But in a less familiar context it offers an unusual opportunity to spend time appreciating the work’s artistic merit and to discover a little about the people behind the projects.
Work ranges from inspirational poster campaigns to TV commercials, and from packaging to popular merchandise, all of which can be traced back to one source – having been produced by the graduates from the Visual Communication course at Preston.
