Students on the BA (Hons) Graphic Design and Graphic Illustration course at University Campus Suffolk (UCS) have been awarded the Student Designer of the Year award by Antalis McNaughton during its annual showcase and ceremony which celebrates the best printed work of designers from across the country.

Designers from across the UK have been recognised by Antalis McNaughton, Europe’s largest paper merchant, for the past 22 years in the annual Review Awards. UCS Graphic Design students beat over 40 other design proposals submitted by those based at Universities from England, Scotland and Wales to be honoured with the prize during an award presentation event at Warwick Castle on 29 June along with all acknowledged designers and printers from other categories.

Project tutor Russell Walker and students,  Peter James, Gail Greatrex, Nair Martins, Sain Rann, Dan Barnes, Dan Haddock, Tom Rowe, Susan Taylor and Ben Page, worked on the project to design the Antalis McNaughton 2013 calendar for over two months before finally submitting their ‘O Metamorphosis O’ concept to the judges.
Gail Greatrex said of the concept behind the design: “We wanted to create something that represented the brand which focuses on the importance of print in a digital age. They value sustainability and we aimed to get across the importance of this by highlighting how paper can be reformed into anything through its recycling attributes.”
The judges based their decision on the student’s ability to meet the brief with accuracy, imagination and creativity.

Peter James added: “The brief was all about the communication of selling paper and we wanted to do this while making it look beautiful and I think we achieved this.”

Their calendar design will subsequently be published in ‘The Review’ book and be published as the official Antalis McNaughton 2013 calendar to be credited with their name and education institution.