During my placement at Northside Graphics, I designed a wide range of in-house marketing materials across all three brands, including branded stationery, product artwork, e-shots and promotional campaigns. One of my first projects involved creating a new stationery range, which introduced me to working within strict brand guidelines. Initially, this felt challenging compared to the creative freedom I was used to, but over time it strengthened my ability to design thoughtfully within a brand identity while still creating distinctive outcomes.
I also had the opportunity to develop my illustration skills through designing Christmas stationery and seasonal campaigns, which helped build both my confidence and versatility as a designer. Alongside this, I produced artwork for website products, Valentine’s promotions and refreshed wedding stationery collections, where I was able to experiment more creatively and further refine my eye for detail.
Throughout my placement, I also worked with external clients including Titanic Hotel Belfast, Voco Belfast, as well as charities such as Aware NI, Concern Worldwide and Age NI. This experience helped me build confidence in communicating with clients and responding professionally to briefs, while strengthening my understanding of branding, typography and print production in a real-world studio environment.
