For some, the brief summer sun means escaping to the beach or investing in a new pair of short shorts, but for me the summer means graduate degree shows. Every year since I left university I’ve made a point of going along to as many as possible, not just to make myself feel jealous about all the talented young designers out there, but to remind myself just what true creative freedom is, unfettered by time constraints or client demands.

A couple of weeks ago the Creative Review blog posed the question Degree Shows; What do you want to see?. Well I’ve been round a few in my (short) time, including a good scoop-full this past month, and I know what I want to see.

Firstly I want to see a better quality of typography. Good type embodies everything that being a graphic designer should be about, it communicates subtlety but powerfully, it enhances the overall mood and tone and it’s a little bit nerdy. Good typography requires attention to detail, a great trait for a designer. The Hootenanny promo newspaper by the graduates from Lincoln School of Art and Design shows a high quality of typographic skill.

Graduates often moan about leaving uni without many industry-orientated skills (I know I did), but I realize now how important it is to hone your creative skills while in a ‘safe’ non-commercial environment. I want to see more students taking the opportunity their final year affords to just go wild and try for the big idea, something unexpected and outrageous. Computer programs and working processes can be learnt on the job, but the confidence to be creative and original is something to be truly valued.

Tags: degree shows, summer