Ashleigh Dussie is a talented young graphic designer who recently graduated with a first-class degree in Graphic Design from Huddersfield University. Specialising in branding, typography and print she has already completed a number of placements and internships at leading design studios in Northern England including, Ultimate Creative, Studio DBD and Studio eNaR. She was also featured in Craig Oldham’s Graduate Showcase 2020 and on D&AD New Blood via the Dots.
Ashleigh grew up surrounded by creativity and a supportive network of people, including her dad, a designer and printer, who inspired her to pursue a career in design. She developed her creative voice and impressive skills whilst at university, through personal projects and during internships. Her work is confident, well-crafted, and dynamic, with a clever use of typography and playful colour palettes. Ashleigh often combines analogue and digital elements in typeface design and branding projects, demonstrating a unique style based on an experimental and multidisciplinary approach.
Collaboration and sharing ideas with fellow designers fuels Ashleigh’s creativity. In her final year at university, she founded CO- a network through which creatives from Northern England at different stages in their careers and backgrounds could meet, share ideas and collaborate. For her final major project, she designed an exciting and playful visual identity for the platform, with dynamic assets that can be interchangeable to create an ever-evolving brand. This branding project was featured in Inspo Finds Volume II published in August 2020. Initially planned around in-person events – which had to be postponed due to Covid-19 – Ashleigh managed to turn the launch of the network into an online event. She showcased the exhibition submissions through Instagram and is currently building on CO-‘s online presence as a way for creative collaborations to continue in the future.
We caught up with Ashleigh – now studying for an MA in Graphic Design – to discuss how the pandemic has impacted her creative and professional journey and to hear how she has kept busy with self-initiated and collaborative projects.
Why did you decide to become a designer?
Design has always been something I’ve enjoyed. My dad is a designer and printer. I grew up loving his passion for creativity. I guess it’s quite infectious when you’re surrounded by it from a young age. Not only that, but the support I received from tutors as I went from high school to college and then to university has been really encouraging.
My passion for design developed whilst studying at university. As my practice evolved throughout my degree, I discovered more about my likes and dislikes. Having the opportunity for self-development and consistent practise at university allowed me to become quicker at key skills and gain a greater understanding of how the design world works. The experience of discovering my creative process was particularly beneficial and as I’ve progressed, I feel more informed and have more confidence.
Ninety Sans – During lockdown I created a new typeface with a playful aesthetic. The name ‘Ninety Sans’ refers to the method I used to build the typeface. Throughout my experiments I like to limit myself and work within tight restrictions, so the name is a simple nod to the ninety-degree corners and curves created to construct the individual letters. Using this typeface creation, I developed it into a mini self-initiated project. I love the series Killing Eve and I greatly admire Matt Willey’s identity and type design in the show’s titles. I re-created a selection of titles using this type, which took inspiration from the existing heavy-weight, condensed and tightly kerned typeface, also matching the show’s bold and stylish colour palette.
Where did you study and what do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started your design course?
In 2016 I started studying Graphic Design at Huddersfield University. As I progressed through the course and met new tutors, a number of their habits rubbed off on me and I came to understand some of their qualities. Reading in particular had a big impact on me. In my final year at university, I leaned more towards books, especially for written work like my dissertation. Looking back I wish I read more! By doing this I was able to refine my interests in my final year, which was reflected within my dissertation research. For the first time I genuinely enjoyed writing an essay because I was passionate about the topic I chose to write about.
Not all my reading is directly related to design. At the moment I’m reading a book about astrology called Star Power by Vanessa Montgomery, which connects to a group project I’m currently working on about feeling lost after University and how we have adapted and evolved during Covid. I’ve just read a chapter which explains the sun’s meaning within astrology. It basically represents our purpose and direction, helping us to develop our sense of self, so it relates to the project perfectly.
CO- is a multidisciplinary creative network, which I launched during my final year at university. The idea was to bring together students and professionals from different disciplines, such as Graphic Design, Photography, and Illustration. Inspired by the playful dynamics of creativity, CO-’s changeable type-based aesthetic defines the ever-evolving, multi-faceted brand. The first event followed the themes of cohesion, collaboration and converge. Sadly, due to the social distancing measures required by the lockdown, the talks had to be postponed. However, I continued to develop the exhibition to work digitally by showing the submissions on CO-‘s Instagram. Now that this platform is set-up, it is something I would like to continue working with as a way to collaborate and reach out to other creatives.
Can you tell us how have you developed throughout your education and career so far?
Going to university was really beneficial for me. My course helped me discover which design career paths I wanted to follow and the areas I am most passionate about. My placement year was extremely valuable for this process of self-discovery. These opportunities helped me develop my skills and knowledge in graphic design as well as interpersonal skills. I’ve always been a shy person and over my years at university, I’ve definitely got better at overcoming worries and self-doubt. I’m now more confident at moving design ideas forward, without feeling the need to double-check whether something is right or wrong. I feel more confident meeting new people and working with people in general. Occasionally my shyness creeps up on me but I’m sure that given time it will go!
What tips would you give to current design students or women considering a career in the design industry?
Definitely do what you love! Try not to create something to please others because you think it’s ‘correct’. If you’re passionate about something and someone else picks up on it, it can lead to great opportunities that you will actually enjoy! This will benefit you in the long run because you can expand your network and fill it with mutually beneficial connections, who share the same passions as you.
Show you are a hard worker because when others see your drive and passion, they may offer you some sort of opportunity. This has benefited me in the past because the internships that I have completed all arose from connections or through the help of other designers passing on others details. Keep in touch with people. Checking-in and showing an interest keeps you in their mind as a potential fit for future opportunities.
Gain as much experience as you can whilst at university. I’ve noticed after graduating that the competition is much tougher! If your course doesn’t offer a placement year, try applying for summer internships. Making mistakes early and finding out what works for you before starting your career will give you a better sense of direction as to where you want to go after graduating.
Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy life! There’s a real world beyond your screen.
Let Go – is a collaborative project between myself and Photographer, Sara Todorova, curated during lockdown. It’s a journey of self-discovery during isolation through a series of self-portraits showing the art of the body expressing itself. A series of posters were created alongside the zine to reflect the overwhelming, confusing and distorted experiences and emotions, one more subtle than the other, representing the different intensities of these emotions.
Has being a female impacted your education/career so far?
I know there are high levels of inequality in many workplaces and I feel very fortunate that I have never been judged or pushed aside for being a woman – or not that I have noticed anyway! People have always stressed to me the importance of a portfolio and how it should showcase your work and abilities. However, the majority of designers I have worked for would rather hire someone enthusiastic with lots of character, and a decent portfolio that has room for improvement. Personality and character are super important, but gender should never be an issue.
I’m part of a lovely friendship group with people I met on my course at university. We’re a group of four, evenly split, two females and two males. We all get along really well and never bicker or fall-out when we work together. No one ever takes the lead, and we all contribute equally. That we are different genders never entered our heads! I like the mixture. We’re currently working on a new project and I always find it interesting to see the different ideas the others put forward. Having different perspectives on problems allows us to add our own personal twists.
How has Covid-19 pandemic effected your experiences as a graduate in 2020?
It’s certainly stood between me and actually starting my career when I graduated in summer 2020. I think for any new graduate, feeling lost after university is relatively normal, but in the middle of a pandemic it was truly daunting! There were a few weeks when I felt as if I had lost my sense of self and was without purpose, with nothing to work towards. Being able to submit my work to online showcases such as Craig Oldham’s Grad Show Case kept me going. These selfless acts of kindness made you feel humbled and I’m grateful for the support of others.
Since graduating, I’ve spent a lot of time weighing up the effects of Covid-19 and thinking about how I can move forward. I strongly believe that every cloud has a silver lining, no matter how big, bad and ugly that cloud may be. Given that work opportunities were less frequent over the summer, I decided to return to Huddersfield and study for a MA in Graphic Design. Returning to university has given me something to work towards again and I have plenty of time to re-evaluate my options ahead of this summer.
Do you have any female mentors who have shaped your career?
Jayne Fox, my college Graphics tutor. I always remember a talk we had in a Graphics lesson at high school from the local art college. This lovely lady showed us amazing work from the current students – this lovely lady being Jayne! I was captivated by the passion of the people surrounding me and I knew this was the place I wanted to go and Graphic Design was what I aspired to do. I loved my time on the course and the encouragement and support from Jayne was always incredible. We still keep in touch and I go back to visit when I can. It’s nice to stay rooted and remember where you began to remind yourself of how far you’ve come.
Who are your top five female creative crushes currently working in the industry?
- Jessica Walsh. ‘No Filter’ is one of my most loved projects! The uncensored truths are hilarious to read – because they’re SO relatable! I think my favourite has to be “I’d like to cancel my subscription to your bullshit”. I see it as a friendly reminder that it’s okay to let go of any toxic relationships that crop up during your journey of getting where you want to be. You have to be kind to yourself.
- I recently discovered Martyna Wędzicka-Obuchowicz who goes by WEDZICKA. I really like the glitch-based aesthetic to her work and her spontaneous approach to the creative process. Her type work is simply fascinating to look at.
- Kati Forner. I am in LOVE with her Instagram feed! I’ve followed her work for some time and the contemporary brand identities she creates are beautifully elegant.
- India Hobson. I love the use of light and shadows within her photography. They have a really lovely, elegant quality to them. I also love the photography she does alongside Magnus Edmondson, working together as Haarkon. Their insight into the natural world creates a sense of tranquillity, especially during these times. They give me major travel envy!
- Sarah Horn and Naomi Bassey behind Inspo Finds. I really admire the work they put into their platform, encouraging and supporting the work of other designers. It’s brimming with endless inspiration. I’m on their page almost every day!