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Visual Communication
Degree Show 2021


Grace Cullen-Ward

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Grace is a multidisciplinary design graduate, specialising in publication design, typographic detailing, and branding. Grace has a particular affinity with the printed medium and believes that holding a physical, material artifact evokes an emotional response within us that digital can't quite tap into. She aspires to create designs that are memorable, purposeful, and shed light on often overlooked and unnoticed topics.

Throughout her time at UTS, Grace has been recognised by several international awarding bodies, representing UTS with her publication in the 'ISTD' awards and being a finalist in New Zealand's 'Best Awards.'
Graffico was an answer to a multifaceted project brief. Initially focused on typography as a wayfinding device through urban environments, it evolved into experimentations of specific typographic elements illustrated in magazine format. The typographic element I chose to highlight within this publication was graffiti tags and their implicit suggestion of territorial ownership through complex, often hidden, layers of meaning. Notions of vandalism and defiance dominate the publication through typographic detailing and experimental explorations of hand-generated type and image. These inclusions contravene traditional publishing formats imparting the lawless turbulence of graffiti. Speak Together Heard Forever is a response to a social justice dilemma surrounding the issues of sexual consent. Specifically, it highlights the degree to which the Australian schooling system is consistently failing to deliver a comprehensive curriculum regarding respectful sexuality and informed decisions. Presented as a typographic campaign and supporting publication, the project aims to prompt women to share their stories through a safe, communal platform to inspire the public to learn more about the cause and bring awareness to a petition. The publication exhibits existing research and studies with data visualisations creating an approachable and easily understood format that includes 500 testimonies from affected women. Stream is an educational coding resource for students and teachers grappling with the complexities of coding. Stream required a brand re-fresh to increase engagement with their broad audience through a playful, simple, and unique design to instill confidence in their developing abilities. The rebranding anchored coding as a sequence of systems and steps, referenced through a playful yet structured custom typeface, paired with a bold colour palette and exposed grid system.


UTS School of Design, Faculty of Design
Architecture and Building
UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.