GAP.
Rugby-Kingston-Oporto-Amsterdam
Written by Ross Norman
Creative Intern at VBAT
Hello, I’m Ross.
I’m currently a Graphic Design student at Kingston University undertaking a year abroad between my 2nd and 3rd year. I’m originally from a small town called Rugby which is pretty much in the centre of the UK, but I moved to Kingston to study. And yes, it was where the sport was invented.
For the past 5 months I’ve been undertaking a year abroad programme also known as ‘Erasmus’. In September ’16, I moved to Oporto to study and I embraced their culture head on, it was an unforgettable experience in which I had learned an awful lot about both myself, and my work ethic. I’ve now moved to Amsterdam, where I start my 5 month Creative Internship at VBAT and to see if I can still ride a bike after 4 years.
In 2016 I was lucky enough to win a D&AD New Blood Pencil, and following this, be accepted onto the 2 week D&AD New Blood Academy programme. This is where I was introduced to Graham & Barnaby from VBAT. I’m excited to see how a ‘Corporate’ company works and how each department fits together like a set of cogs. The first week has been a roller coaster already, with having an influx of new names to remember (Thank god for the face-sheet) and being thrown in to a client project has so far been a great learning curve.
My work is very multidisciplinary and I’m interested in a lot of aspects within design which I think is reflected in the work I’ve produced up to this stage. I like to have a mind set that a project could have multiple outcomes using a variety of methods from Publication to Product. To me, the process in a project is as valuable if not more valuable than the final outcome itself. I’m constantly open to new ways of working and tackling projects so I feel the next 5 months at VBAT will teach me a lot about how I want to direct my design process.
I recently picked up a 35mm film camera and have been enjoying the aesthetic outcome and process the film element brings to modern day design. I’ve been trying to combine this medium with my interest in architecture and seeing how different angles can show off different shapes of a structure / building.
Music is a big part of my lifestyle too, for several years I played the trumpet which allowed me to be creative in a whole different manner. Now-a-days I’m more into techno & lo-fi music but it wouldn’t be a shock if I was listening to Duke Ellington. This year I will be attending Dekmantel festival which I’m very looking forward too. Being able to combine my current interest of Techno with a client such as Dekmantel would be a project I’d like to work on at some point in the future.
Besides music and design, I quite like sports. I used to participate in boxing which is a hobby I’d like to re-discover whilst out here in Amsterdam. I also find ping-pong a really nice break between working on projects. If I’m ever stuck on where to go next with a brief or just need a 10 minute down time, a quick rally of ping-pong normally does the trick.
In the future, I’d like to broaden my horizons by working in different studios all over the world. Whether that’s from Berlin to Japan, I would like to continue my learning process in understanding how different cultures work in and out of design.
Feel free to check out some of my selected works on my website.
If you enjoyed reading this, please click 💚 “Recommend” below. This will help to share the story with others.
Follow VBAT on Twitter | Like us on Facebook
written by Ross Norman
Creative at VBAT
edited by Connie Fluhme
PR at VBAT
