Having completed my degree studying studying Graphic Communications and Typography at the University of Plymouth, I was very delighted to be offered a work placement at purplefish.

What I found particularly interesting was how the subject I’d been studying at university translated beyond the graphic design industry and into a PR and Social Media company. I had presumed that graphics meant going into a purely creative role, but this placement made me realise there were far more possibilities beyond just graphic design degree teachings.

I had the chance to see the various projects and meetings that the staff at purplefish were concerned with and I got involved in overhauling some of the companies presentations and report templates, helping to bring new ideas and create more dynamic visuals for purplefish to use in situations such as client pitches.

I spent some time refining ideas and researching into logos which inspired me personally, considering the creative influences within Bristol, namely the graffiti street artist Banksy. I created a logo based initially on a graffiti style, which altered based on research into the inkblot test (also called the “Rorschach” test) This is a method of psychological evaluation, which psychologists use to test examine the personality characteristics and emotional functioning of their patients.

The idea that different people see different things within the inks felt like a very appropriate creative representation of the project I was working on and so I created and refined logo designs based on this concept, altering the clarity, positioning and hierarchy of the typography, to create a clear and concise logo design to head up the brand. I also decided to create web mock ups to see how the logo would look positioned within a live website framework.

It was a great insight into an industry I’d never considered design could take me and I enjoyed working with a great team creating some really interesting designs.

Andy Griffiths – Work placement July 2014