Take a look at these 5 top picks from Loughborough University featuring 3D design, textiles and graphic communications.
Laura Middleton's final illustration project focuses on the life of a plant
If you're looking for the best new graduates for your studio or agency, don't miss Computer Arts' New Talent special, issue 243, featuring the team's handpicked selection of the UK's best graduates – on sale 24 July 2015.
The graduate show at Loughborough University is a revelation in originality, with 3D printing and textile projects providing an insight into future trends. Here we feature five top students mastering the art of various creative disciplines.
Higgins' project aims to highlight the difference between wealth and poverty
Course: BA (Hons) Textiles Innovation and Design
Project: Hidden reality: Chic Favela
Cheryl Higgins latest work represents the hidden reality of economic issues in Brazil through the production of pieces that represent the existence of extreme wealth and poverty in close proximity. Everyday and scrap materials have been used to represent 'Gambiarra'; the Portuguese word for making do with what is available.
The design concept for Hidden reality: Chic Favela intends to highlight this disparity using different surfaces and materials to reflect contrasts with the rich and poor and show a transition between the two. Her purpose is to comment on the irony of depicting the favelas in luxury scenarios through designs that portray the gradual transitions between wealth and waste.
Allodi wanted to explore the relationship between art and architecture
Course: BA (Hons) Fine Art
Project: An exploration into Ruination
"My work investigates into the relationship between art and architecture through the experimentation of materiality," explains student Matteo Allodi. "My experimentation with shape, form and scale has largely been inspired by the polyhedrons synonymous with late twentieth century architectural work, which I have translated into the language of minimalist sculptures.
"The correlation between size and scale and the nodes of the private and public have informed my practice. The larger the object, the closer it becomes to an architectural scale, questioning the void between what is architecture and art. Conversely, referencing its materiality my smaller scale sculptures attempt to define the process of building."
In this project, Grace Wooler explores the process of repetition; the loop represents the mark that is being made. The artwork sees Wooler create the piece without the pencil leaving the surface, which she explains is, "preserving the energy of the pencil through its fluid motion."
"Drawing is a discipline that has been previously undermined within the hierarchy of materials, forcing it to remain a preparatory implement within the confines of a sketchbook," she explains. "I aim to challenge opinions about drawing, by using pencil as the core material to complete final art works, pushing it into the foreground to show its true capabilities and beauty."
Jessica Bell showcases her love of breakfast with her project
Course: BA (Hons) 3D Design: New Practise
Project: Breakfast Tableware
"My inspiration for this project has stemmed from the love of good food at breakfast time and the calm, soft themes that spring reveals," explains 3D artist Jessica Bell. "In order to build a connecting relationship between the ceramics and the wood, I have created specific sized recesses where each item fits comfortably, thereby eliminating any unwanted movement.
"Colour is an interesting element to my design process and is in keeping with the soft tones of spring. I have chosen a calm shade of blue to echo the scenic sky and compliment the intriguing nature of the walnut grains."
The Plant is a comic created by illustrator Laura Middleton
Course: BA (Hons) Illustration
Project: The Plant
"I am an illustrator with a specific interest in storytelling, whether that is bringing my own stories to life, or offering a new interpretation of somebody else's. I work mostly in pencil and paint, but take a more contemporary approach to traditional media by combining it with graphic elements and bold compositions," explains Middleton.
"I work in a range of formats, from single images to graphic novels. I enjoy the challenge of deciphering texts, and through my illustrations aim to present fresh interpretations of familiar stories and ideas. I try hard to break away from cliché and draw attention to details that may often go unnoticed. I am inspired by the natural world, books and watching people in the street, among other things."
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