For 2022, the Student Design Calendar Contest was opened up to entries from both sides of the Tasman. The result was a fantastic range of dynamic submissions – and two great calendars. Here are the winning entries…
For many years the BJ Ball Student Design Content was a mainstay for tertiary students studying visual communication in New Zealand. Not only was it an exercise in offering the students some real-life experience in the world of commercial print but the students also gained recognition as a Calendar Contest winner. After taking a brief hiatus in the 2010s, BJ Ball reintroduced the contest in 2020. Such was the response, that for 2022, the format was expanded to two calendars; one for BJ Ball in New Zealand and another version for Australian sister company Ball & Doggett. Both calendars featured nine local winners—plus three Trans-Tasman winners from the other side of the ditch.
More than 2,000 printed calendars were delivered to printers and design studios throughout the region. In fact, demand for the printed calendar was so strong that stocks at Ball & Doggett ran out within 24 hours. Safe to say, the students gained some solid exposure.
The 2022 Brief
The contest brief was simple. Insert a graphic representation of a paper dart, a historic symbol lifted from the BJ Ball logo, into an original artwork. But more than just showcasing creative talent, the contest required submissions to be print-ready artwork, matched to a suitable BJ Ball/Ball & Doggett paper grade. This allowed students to learn more about commercial print and gain some real-world experience.
The Judging
Both countries had their own judging teams which included some well known names in the local scene. The New Zealand judging team comprised Mike Tisdall (Insight Creative), Chris Flack (Strategy Design), and Annie Dow (Dow Goodfolk). While for Australia, the judges were Lindsay Tucker (Katarzyna Group), Courtney Newman (Ball & Doggett), and Paul Garbett (Garbett Design).
Judging was based on the work’s aesthetic appeal, suitability for offset print, and the appropriateness of the choice of paper stock. As in previous years, the standard was high!
The Winners
Winners received a Prezzy card and, more importantly, gained recognition as a Calendar Contest winner. In addition to this, three works from each country were also chosen to appear in the corresponding edition as special ‘trans-Tasman’ winners.
- The works from New Zealand that also appeared in the Australian calendar were: The Bees Knees by Abbey Barlow, Oasis also by Abbey Barlow and Criss Cross by Frosina Ema Popovski.
- The works from Australia that also appeared in the New Zealand edition were: Plane Australian Natives by Emma Orchard, Imagination Exercise by Nikita Sukhanov and GOSHA by Stephan Yaroshevich.
As an added bonus, winners were also invited to attend the press pass at the printery in their respective country. A great opportunity for them to see their design come to life in living ink. This proved an insightful experience, helping the students to better appreciate the process and the production times required to produce the finished calendar.
The 2023 Calendar Press Pass
At the Australian press pass at Rawson Print & Packaging in Sydney, we took the opportunity to ask a few of the winners for their thoughts on the contest and what they had learnt—here’s what they had to say;
’Entering the contest was simply an opportunity for me to use my new found skills in the outside world, with nothing to lose! I tried to meet the brief as much as I could within my design style but had little hope of being chosen as a winner… Therefore, winning was a big confidence booster!’, Emma Orchard.
’I personally didn’t think I would win due to my work being very simplistic… however I am very grateful I won and very much enjoyed the press-pass. Having an opportunity to see live printing has made me want to learn much more’, Wendy Liem.
’I was surprised to win as I only entered because my tutor asked me to and so wasn’t expecting this. I have since come to deeply appreciate the process involved…’, Oliver Hepburn.
Australian & trans-Tasman winner, Emma Orchard, with an untrimmed running sheet of her work Plane Australian Natives—hot off the press in living colour and now in studios and offices across our region
One further nugget of wisdom that surfaced from the winners attending the press passes was the realisation of the difference between artwork as seen on screen— versus final printed work and how physical considerations affect the result— particularly the choice of stock, the tactile nature of paper, and how this impacts wet ink and colour.
A Need for Print
As always, the finished calendar was well received by the industry. In fact, the Australian print run of 1000 units disappeared within 24 hours! All of which proves two things;
- That whilst print design may be considered ‘old school’— it is still a valuable and relevant skill for designers coming into the industry; And
- You’ve got to be in to win! Many of our winners were surprised at winning…
And now—on to the winners for 2022…
New Zealand Winners
L—R: Mike Tisdall (judge), Frosina Ema Popovski, Grace Costello, George Hajian (Senior Lecturer at AUT). Not in picture: Brandon Robinson, Abbey Barlow, Aidan Forbes, Alice Fowler
BJ Ball Calendar 2023:
January: Through the simulation by Brandon Robinson
Institute: Yoobee College (Christchurch Campus)
Stock: BJ Ball Advance Laser 240gsm
Insta: @onbrand___
February: Heart Of Glass by Abbey Barlow
Institute: Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Silk High Gloss 200gsm
Insta: @abbeyz_art
April: Solitude by Grace Costello
Institute: Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Advance Laser 240gsm
Insta: @gracecost.design
May: The Bees Knees by Abbey Barlow
Institute: Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Trophee Intense Yellow 240gsm
Insta: @ abbeyz_art
June: Under the Flight Path by Grace Costello
Institute: Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Silk High Gloss 200gsm
Insta: @gracecost.design
July: Criss Cross by Frosina Ema Popovski
Institute: Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Advance Laser 240gsm
Insta: @frosinasdesigns_
August: Hiding in the Everyday by Aidan Forbes
Institute: Otago Polytechnic
Stock: BJ Ball Silk High Gloss 200gsm
Insta: @aidanofpluto_art
October: Purrfect View by Alice Fowler
Institute: Universal College of Learning (UCOL), (Manawatu Campus)
Stock: BJ Ball Advance Laser 240gsm
Insta: @Toonukii
November: Oasis by Abbey Barlow
Institute: Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Magno Plus Satin 250gsm
Insta: @abbeyz_art
Australian Winners
L—R back row: Stephan Yaroshevich, Nikita Sukhanov, Oliver Hepburn, Sienna Hlavaty, Emma Orchard, Naomi Gibson. L—R front row: Ivan Zheng, Mikayla Dempsey. Not in picture: Wendy (Gabriella Liem)
Ball & Doggett Calendar 2023:
January: Red Dart by Sienna Hlavaty
Institute: TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Buffalo Board 225gsm
Insta: @siennahlavaty
February: The Calm Before by Mikayla Dempsey
Institute: TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Silk-hd Gloss 256gsm
Insta: mikayla_dempsey
March: Fox In a Box by Wendy (Gabriella Liem)
Institute: TAFE NSW
Stock: Ball & Doggett Supreme White
Uncoated 250gsm
April: Plane Australian Natives by Emma Orchard
Institute: Torrens University Australia (SA)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Supreme White
Uncoated 250gsm
Insta: @emmyorchard
May: Darty Macaw by Ivan Zheng
Institute: TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Supreme White
Uncoated 250gsm
June: Sydney Architecture by Oliver Hepburn
Institute: TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Supreme White
Uncoated 250gsm
July: Imagination Exercise by Nikita Sukhanov
Institute: TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Supreme White
Uncoated 250gsm
August: The Ripple of Planes by Naomi Gibson
Institute: Torrens University Australia (SA)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Kaskad Canary
Yellow 225gsm
September: GOSHA by Stephan Yaroshevich
Institute: TAFE NSW Design Centre Enmore (DCE)
Stock: Ball & Doggett Supreme White
Uncoated 250gsm
2023 Student Design Contest
The Student Design Calendar Contest is happening again this year and will follow a similar Trans-Tasman format.
Entry details, plus the brief, will be announced in May 2023, with the close-off date likely to be early September. So, keep an eye on the GSM website and/or our social media pages. You could be featuring in our 2024 calendar!
