Billy Blue stands out at 2024 GSM Magazine student design competition

At Billy Blue College of Design, you don’t have to wait years to start turning your ideas into actions. Our lecturers are constantly seeking opportunities for students to work on real-world briefs and become award-winning creatives. Take Graphic Design student Dylan Hatton and Communication Design student Farquhar MacDougall, for example.

Under the guidance of Subject Coordinator Troy Sizer, and Learning Facilitators Suzanne Keating and Stewart Ward, Dylan and Farquhar entered – and won – the annual GSM Student Design Contest. This competition was integrated as an assessment brief for their Typography subject.

What is the GSM Magazine Student Design Contest?

The GSM Student Design Contest is an annual competition offering students in Australia and New Zealand the chance to showcase their digital design skills to the design and print industries. In 2022 and 2023, Billy Blue students made their mark with three winners, and this year, Dylan and Farquhar continued that tradition. The 2025 theme, Visions of the Future, invited students to visually express their vision of the future through typography and colour.

Sponsored by BJ Ball and Ball & Doggett, the competition required students to envision how the world may change in the future and choose a short phrase representing this. The brief then called for a visual expression of their chosen phrase using type, colour and other graphic elements, such as hacked or custom-created lettering. The final step required selecting a BJ Ball or Ball & Doggett paper stock that complemented the design. Winning designs are set to appear in Ball & Doggett’s 2025 calendar.

Billy Blue student entries into the design competition

Twenty-five Billy Blue students submitted entries to this year’s competition, which received a record number of submissions from across Australia and New Zealand. Of these, Dylan and Farquhar were chosen as winners, gaining exposure for their work across multiple channels and strengthening their portfolios. Several other Billy Blue students earned special mentions for their standout entries.

Undefined Future of Endless Possibilities by Farquhar MacDougall, Bachelor of Communication Design student and winner

“I approached the brief with a holistic perspective. With the introduction of AI and the constant evolution of technology, I wanted to focus on the opportunities this creates for everyone,” says Farquhar, reflecting on his entry.

“I used a modern typeface to emphasise the technological aspect of the concept, while the stepped repetition of the word represents a transition from an undefined future to endless possibilities. This symbolises the balance of yin and yang – there is no good without bad, no light without dark, and vice versa. The message I aimed to communicate is that there is no absolute ‘good’ or ‘bad’; it’s all about how you approach the challenges that arise.

“I also wanted to highlight that anything is possible if you’re clear on what you want and take the necessary steps toward achieving it. Ultimately, it’s all about the journey – getting to where you want to go through perseverance and dedication.”

The judges described Farquhar’s entry as an “interesting application of alternating dichotomies of colour and content on the horizontal and vertical planes”.

Everything Can Be Something by Dylan Hatton, Diploma of Graphic Design student and winner

Special mentions at the GSM Student Design Contest

We’re also thrilled to recognise three exceptional students who earned special mentions from the judges: Alexia Clarke, Josh Baker and Matthew Stratton. Their unique talents and contributions came close to winning, each bringing something remarkable to the competition.

Alexia Clarke’s submission: Organic Dynamics

Josh Baker’s submission: Design Never Stops

Matthew Stretton’s submission: Living with Nature

Helping students build their design portfolios

Dylan and Farquar’s winning entries have not only brought them industry recognition but also enhanced their portfolios, which have been evaluated by leading educators. Heading up Typography, Troy is passionate about integrating real-world industry learning into the Billy Blue experience to support students throughout their careers.

“The Communication and Design courses at Billy Blue are crafted to immerse students in industry-driven experiences during their studies. Through real-world briefs and collaborations with established industry partners, students not only learn design principles but actively apply them to industry standards,” Troy explains.

“This approach cultivates problem-solving skills, creative confidence and adaptability, preparing students to navigate the complexities of the creative industry. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, Billy Blue empowers students to build a professional portfolio and network even before graduation, providing a competitive edge and boosting their career prospects in fields such as graphic design, branding, marketing, multimedia and UX design.

“This experience-driven learning approach equips graduates with the skills, resilience and industry connections essential for success in the dynamic and evolving creative sector.”

This competition is just one example of how Billy Blue students gain industry recognition while still studying. By the time they complete their courses, their portfolios will be rich with industry-standard work, giving them a strong foundation – and a head start – for a successful career.