Once again, the BJ Ball/Ball & Doggett Student Design Contest for 2024 was a great success and the resulting calendar showcases some of our fantastic emerging talent. The contest theme for 2024 was Visions of the Future—an expression of the future through type and colour. Students were tasked with creating a short saying about how the world may change for the better, and then to create a visual expression of this using type, colour, graphics and/or photography. Students were also required to match their design to a BJ Ball/Ball & Doggett paper stock from a provided swatch of samples.
Judging was based on the work’s aesthetic appeal, suitability for offset print, and the appropriateness of the chosen paper stock. Nine national winners, plus three ‘best of the best’ trans-Tasman winners were selected from each country. Winners were rewarded with a gift card, a copy of the calendar—and could sleep well in the knowledge that their artwork was gracing the walls in more than 2,000 industry related businesses.
The judges for 2024 were;
> NZ; Angelique Sparnaay-Martin from Consult Ongee, DINZ black Pin recipient Annie Dow from Dow Goodfolk, plus designer Alec Bathgate.
> AU: Abra Remphrey, Co-Creative Director from Detour Design Studio, Creative Director Paul Garbett, and Rhys Gorgol, founder of TCYK.
NEW ZEALAND CALENDAR 2025 WINNERS >
Variation Creates Vibrancy by Ruby Bird (January)
Institute: Auckland University Of Technology (AUT)
Stock: BJ Ball Sumo Gloss 200gsm
Insta: @rubybirddesign
Mental Renaissance by Samantha Young (February)
Institute: Media Design School (Auckland)
Stock: BJ Ball Via Linen Pure White 270gsm
Insta: @samy.salmon
One World, Many Faces by Robbie Wilkinson (April)
Institute: Wintech (Hamilton)
Stock: BJ Ball Eco100 Hi White 170g
Insta: @greenie_designs
Embracing Cosmic Neighbours by Zoya Nesterovitch (May)
Institute: Whitecliffe College (Auckland Campus)
Stock: BJ Ball Silk Matt 300gsm
Insta: @zoyasmeadow
Work From Anywhere by Rachel Bunn (June)
Institute: Yoobee (Auckland Campus)
Stock: BJ Ball Via Linen Pure White 270gsm
Insta: @rachel.b.designing
New Talk? New Telepathy!! by Phi Nguyen (July)
Institute: ARA (Christchurch)
Stock: BJ Ball Trophee 160gsm Flame
On Cloud Nine by Amy Craig (August)
Institute: ARA (Christchurch)
Stock: BJ Ball Sumo Gloss 200gsm
Biodiversity Bloom by Mia Morison (November)
Institute: Victoria University Of Wellington
Stock: BJ Ball Eco100 Hi White 170gsm
Insta: @miamorisondesign
A Green Metropolis by Stella Masters (December)
Institute: ARA (Christchurch)
Stock: BJ Ball Eco100 250gsm
In addition, the following Trans-tasman Australian winners (see below) also appear in the NZ Visions of the Future Calendar:
- Hyper Connected by Ki One Yoon (March)
- Back To Nature by Samantha Lord (September)
- Pollinate Or Perish by Kathryn Moreira (October)
AUSTRALIAN CALENDAR 2025 WINNERS >
The World’s Your Oyster by V Kwan (January)
Institute: Enmore Design Centre TAFE NSW
Stock: Reef Sand White 330gsm
Insta: @katsuroyasu
Not Hand Made by Azizun Karim Khan (March)
Institute: TAFE SA
Stock: Sovereign Gloss 300gsm
Fast Fashion by Sarah Giffen (April)
Institute: Enmore Design Centre TAFE NSW
Stock: Royal Design Bright White 350gsm
Insta: @sarahalexgiffen
Undefined Future of Endless Possibilities by Farquhar Macdougall (May)
Institute: Torrens University Billy Blue College of Design (Sydney)
Stock: Tube Calkl 340gsm
Insta: @_farqhar
Everything Can Be Something by Dylan Hatton (July)
Institute: Torrens University Billy Blue College of Design (Sydney)
Stock: Majestic Metallics Milk 250gsm
Insta: @dylanhattondesign
Pollinate Or Perish by Kathryn Moreira (September)
Institute: Enmore Design Centre TAFE NSW
Stock: Crush Corn 250gsm
Insta: @handsome_studios
More Connected Than Ever by Frances Naylor (October)
Institute: TAFE NSW Hornsby
Stock: Strathmore Wove Ultimate White 270gsm
Back To Nature by Samantha Lord (November)
Institute: LCI Melbourne
Stock: Renewal Hemp Clean White 324gsm
Hyper Connected by Ki One Yoon (December)
Institute: Enmore Design Centre TAFE NSW
Stock: Colorplan Cool Grey 270gsm
Insta: @ welldonestack
In addition, the following Trans-tasman New Zealand winners (see details above) also appear in the Australian Visions of the Future Calendar:
- Embracing Cosmic Neighbours by Zoya Nesterovitch (February)
- Variation Creates Vibrancy by Ruby Bird (June)
- A Green Metropolis by Stella Masters (August)
GSM would like to thank the judges for their support without which this contest would not be a thing!
Late news flash: Last years NZ edition of the calendar picked up Gold at Pride In Print 2024 in the Promotional Print category—awesome stuff.
2025 Student Design Contest – “Home”
The 2025 Student Design Contest is now open!
The theme is “Home” – think about what “Home” feels like for you, and using typography and colour create your masterpiece. Your design school will have details or click here for the brief.
