Bryn Jones

Graduated – 1986

Profile

After graduating Bryn has worked at Robinson Lambie-Nairn, The Chase and Sampson Tyrell winning national and international awards for his professional work including D&AD, Roses and New York Festivals awards.

He has been a lecturer in Graphic Design for 20 years and at the last count had 45 student D&AD awards to his name. Between 2005 – 2008, he was the CityBrand Project Leader/Lead Designer, a post graduate research project which focused on designs ability to transform small cities and larger towns. The project went on to be featured as one of only three films made nationally on the subject of excellence in design education by D&AD of Great Britain.

Career Profile

Robinson Lambie-Nairn 1985

The Chase 1986 – 1988

Sampson Tyrell Manchester 1988 – 1990

Sampson Tyrell London 1990

Salford University Final year tutor, Part time 1990 – 1992

Staffordshire University Final year tutor, Part time 1992 – 1997

UCLan Final year tutor, Part time 1993 – 1997

Kingston University Final year tutor, Full time 1997 – 2004

UCLan CityBrand Project leader / Lead Designer 2005 – 2008
MA Transdisciplinary Course Leader 2009 – present
BA Graphic Design and BA Illustration course member

The Disciples of Design Q&A

How and where did you secure your first job?
SELNEC (South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire) Bus Company. At my secondary modern school careers day, I was asked what was I good at. I replied, “art”. The careers officer offered me the choice between a welder or a motor mechanic. Immature and too timid to rock the bus, I perhaps unwisely took the former and spent the next six years in a Salford depot. You get less for murder nowadays.

On reflection, it benefited me having gained some worldly experience before I came to college, something some students lack especially if they come straight from school or without a foundation of some sort under their belt.

Do you think being a Preston student has benefited you in any way?
Enormously. It made me understand that design was about ideas and importantly how to generate them. It’s only after you leave and work in design groups that you realise, not all students have gone through the same process.

I also experienced this first hand when I began teaching. I could quickly make a difference wherever I went because so many other institutions didn’t have ideas at the centre of their course.

Where do you get your ideas from?
It sounds like a cliché but they are always there in front of you. Get to know the problem and the solution will reveal itself, often when you least expect it.

What do you find most challenging about your job?
I find life challenging, not just my job. I simplify things in a variety of ways to get through. It’s also my philosophy to graphic design. Complex problem = simple solution.

Do you prefer collaboration or thinking alone?
I prefer to come up with the idea alone and then art direct the rest. Working with people you trust and respect helps. As long as they maintain the integrity of the idea I’m happy to let them add things to the project.

On another note, I can’t use a computer to put ideas and artwork together, so I continually work with other designers and students of design to help me out. Is that collaboration or incompetence?

What are the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ things about lecturing?
Students.

What is the most unusual thing you have done in your career?
Sparred with Joe Calzaghe and danced with Bianca Jagger.

What has been the key to your success?
Fast hands and faster feet.

Any advice for students entering the industry?
Don’t worry. Good students will always get jobs. Work hard, put into practice the skills you have gained at college. Cream will always rise to the top.