This graphic design graduate project explores children's mental health education

As part of our coverage of 2022’s graduate season, we’re talking with a selection of graduates from around the UK about their work, practice and future plans.

Weronika Moldwan is a 22-year-old BA Graphic Design graduate from University for the Creative Arts Farnham. Her final project is Blue and other colours.

Design Week: Can you briefly explain what your final project was about?

Weronika Moldwan: My project combines different areas of design that I am passionate about and that inspire me, from editorial and illustration to designing for social impact.

Blue and other colours is a picture book and a deck of playing cards which aims to educate children about mental health. Designed for seven- to eleven-year-olds, the project helps explain what mental health is and demonstrates typical behaviours of some mental health disorders through illustrations.

The book informs children and then the deck of cards is used as a memory game to help them see what they’ve learnt.

By hand drawing common behaviours and using emotive colour palettes to represent different mental illnesses, I hope that children will become better informed about mental health and have a better understanding of their own mind and surroundings.

DW: What was the most challenging aspect of the project?

WM: I have been always interested in psychology and studied human biology in school, but I was very aware that I didn’t have a professional level of knowledge around mental health when starting this project. So, because this is a sensitive subject, I needed to reach out to local professionals to help me choose the right kind of language and make sure I illustrated each behaviour in the appropriate way.

There was a lot of information to gather in these early stages before I could even get to work on my project. This was probably the most labour intensive and difficult part of it, but I was determined to become knowledgeable on the subject so I could present the information clearly and reliably.

DW: Where do you see your design career in five years?

WM: It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do but editorial design and design for social impact have brought me the most joy and satisfaction. In light of that, I would love to work for a company that specialises in creating innovative solutions to social issues through designing promotional materials, campaigns or editorial.

This would enable me to expand my knowledge in areas that I am passionate about while polishing up my design skills in fields I have always enjoyed studying. This dream job would also allow me to travel the world and get to know new cultures and places, something that is often a source of inspiration to me for new design projects and for learning new design techniques.

You can find our guide to 2022 graduate design shows here.

More of this year’s graduate projects can be found here.

Source: Designweek.co.uk