Introduction

Hello! My name is Kiera McGrory and I am a 3rd year Graphic Design Student at Edinburgh Napier University. My first two years at university have been unconventional to say the least. The first 4 months of first year were a typical university life but thanks to Covid, I spent my entire 2nd year online and the first half of 3rd year being half online. During this time I was lucky enough to be able to use my free time to better my skills and regularly worked as a freelance illustrator, this gave me experience in the design field and helped me develop my skills in terms of working with clients and time management. At the end of 2021 I was hired as a regular freelance designer for a company called ‘Nice Shirt Thanks’ As well as this I also worked closely with a JavaScript developer to create illustrations for a new way of learning, these had me creating some crazy images (Think naked genies and flying turtles) I also continued to be the lead graphic designer for the Napier Musical Theatre Society.

In the second half of 3rd year, I was supposed to be going to Canada to study at the Ontario College of Art and Design for 5 months, an opportunity I was very grateful for and had been looking forward to since I started my studies at Napier, unfortunately at the last minute this opportunity was cancelled due to Covid and I then had 2 options, I could either continue my regular classes at Napier, or go on a work placement for a number of months.

I knew that a placement would be so beneficial to my studies and would provide me with so much experience as a designer, so I jumped at the chance.

I was lucky enough to be able to secure my own placement and decided that STENCIL in Nottingham could provide me with the best learning and opportunities. Also I knew it would be very exciting to move another city. It’s fair to say that I was nervous up until my first day as I was convinced that it would get cancelled due to the rising cases of Covid and the local restrictions which would follow.

But I am happy to say that my journey at STENCIL has begun, I am living in Nottingham for the next 3 months and I am so excited for what's to come.

This blog will detail every week I am here at STENCIL and will showcase the work I get to do and will be reflective of my own learning.