Zander Clarke uses design to change the world

Bachelor of Communication Design graduate Zander Clark is passionate about the environment and creating climate change art to discuss and explore the implications for the future. “I originally went to uni to do architecture,” he says. “I really had no idea about graphic design or so many of the amazing things we can do as creatives. Billy Blue opened my eyes to a whole other side to being an artist.”

Zander recently participated in a design challenge in collaboration with Junkee to create an environmental art piece that motivates people to take action. Using the skills and perspectives he developed at Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University Australia, Zander’s graphic design piece The Great Barrier Boneyard hones in on the environmental crisis and its impact on the Great Barrier Reef. He says, “This project was a great opportunity for me to express something I feel very strongly about, as somebody who loves the environment and wants to care for it for the next generation.” 

When designing his ocean artwork, Zander began by thinking about what he wanted to say – and how. “In the past, I’ve learnt that it’s better for me to really spend a bit of time concepting, and make sure that I have a strong idea and know what I’m going to do,” Zander explains. “One thing I like to do when I get to this stage is print out a visual mood board so that I don’t have to go on my phone or computer. I can just sit at my desk and start sketching.”

After spending hours drawing his piece by hand, Zander moved into Photoshop to tidy up the design and add pops of colour, bringing The Great Barrier Boneyard’s message to life. “Some of the teachers I had here really drilled into me the idea of trying to make illustration powerful and easy to be understood by anyone. So it wasn’t just the skills I learnt here, but really the ideology and the thought process that goes into making a good design.”

Zander was is already employed by Swann Creative when he graduated. He then ventured on to set up his own Freelance gig, whilst now also a full time designer at Sunnylife Australia working on creative projects across the UK, US and Europe.

If you’d like to swim in Zander’s wake, check out these courses: 
Diploma of Graphic Design 
Bachelor of Communication Design