Sophie Redford
Motion Graphic Designer at Disney
Studying design at degree level got my interested in a lot of aspects of design that I never would have bothered to try or research if I was on my own, such as typography and 3D design which are now crucial skills in my career.
The degree definitely made me more creative as a whole and so does the experience of studying with people who are also passionate about design. The talks they put on with industry professionals who spoke candidly about the route they took to get them from university to their career was also invaluable.
Post 16 Education: A Levels Art, Psychology & History
Higher Education: BA (Hons) Graphic Communication & Illustration
Why Graphic Communication & Illustration?
I always loved illustration so I decided to do an art foundation course at Loughborough to explore what I wanted to do with art.
I ended up loving the graphic design branch and thought it also brought the best job opportunities for me, so seemed like a great fit.
The course focused on fundamental design principles and how best to think creatively and approach commercial design briefs, covering a variety of design specialities from stop-motion animation to UX design and so on to allow us to have a taster of each and find out what we enjoyed.
Sophie's experience as a student
I loved the creative freedom the course provided, allowing each person to tackle briefs using their unique skillsets and interests - getting to collaborate with classmates with different skills and ideas to you was always really fun, and a great way to prepare for working in a design team in the industry.
The teachers were always inspiring and supportive, which was a great help.
Sophie’s Career
I'm currently a Motion Graphic Designer at Disney where I've been for the past 2 years, and before that was doing a design internship at Channel 5.
It took me almost a year after uni to finally break into the industry. I spent a lot of that time crafting a portfolio to showcase the specific design elements of my own work that would be relevant for the sorts of jobs I wanted.
Sophie's advice
Find a subject that you truly enjoy, and then research what a career in that field realistically looks like for most people and what sort of skillset most of these people have to give yourself targets to aim for that give you the biggest advantage in your industry.
Loughborough University offer degrees in:
Fashion Design and Technology, Textile Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design and an Art and Design Foundation Course.
Throughout their degree, arts students are encouraged to exhibit their work; opportunities include pop-up exhibitions, trade shows and arts festivals. The annual Arts Degree Show attracts thousands of visitors every year and offers a wonderful opportunity to see what is on offer from a Creative Art Degree at Loughborough.
Please note: Degrees and their titles change over time. Some graduates may have studied degrees that have evolved and changed in response to changes in demand from employers.