Twenty-one-year-old Jamie Johnstone knew his passion for creativity would shape his career, and with the help of his schoolteachers, made the decision to pursue Graphic Design. Now with an HND and number one album cover under his belt he’s designed himself a successful career within the creative industries.
Speaking to Jamie he said,
Despite having a creative inclination, I struggled with traditional artistic mediums like drawing and painting. I was eager to pursue my artistic interests but wasn’t sure how to progress. It was then that my high school teachers suggested that I explore the field of Graphic Design, which I’m incredibly grateful for.
‘What I enjoyed the most about the course was the live client briefs as they were incredibly helpful for my professional development. It provided me with real-world experiences that allowed me to gain confidence in speaking about and developing work. By working through briefs, I was able to apply my skills and knowledge to actual projects, giving me an understanding of how to approach and handle projects when in the industry.
‘During my time at college, we went into lockdown, meaning much of my work was online which was challenging to feel as passionate about. However, it gave me extra time and flexibility to explore my own artistic style and taught me how to work effectively in a remote setting.”
Now in third year at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (Dundee University), Jamie combines his study with freelance work as a part-time Graphic Designer, recently designing the number 1 album cover for Callum Beattie.
Jamie continued,
College gave me the necessary tool and level of understanding to progress to higher education. College was a rewarding period of my life which gave me many skills that I have taken into further education and work within the field.