Charlotte Dempsey

Communication Design (Honours)

Hello! I'm Charlotte Dempsey and I have just recently completed my degree of Communication Design Honours. I have a big passion for graphic design and vector illustrations. Being able to let my illustrations speak for themselves is huge part of my love for design. Whether I'm communicating a campaign, event or issue, telling that story through visual illustrations is very rewarding to me. Photography is also a large part of my design process. I completed my minor in Photomedia which has been really beneficial to my art style. A lot of the photos I take are used as references and inspiration for my illustrations.

You can keep in touch with me or see what I'm up to design wise via my website and Instagram account!

Rollerblading Guide to Melbourne

This print publication was created as a guide to finding the best spots in Melbourne to rollerblade and some insights into the types of rollerblades there are. It uses a strong graphic approach and a bright colour palette to captivate its young target audience. All illustrations were created in Illustrator as vectors.

ISTD The Invisible Man

This project was submitted to ISTD, the International Society of Typographic Designers. We were tasked to redesign the first and closing chapter of a book that was out of copyright. I chose H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, a sci-fi novel about the misuse of science and power. I decided to design my version of the book based on the main character Griffin who turns himself invisible out of selfishness.

The book follows his alienation from society and the consequences of his actions. Power and superiority were Griffin’s main motivators upon turning himself invisible. I wanted to capture the calm and mysterious nature of the first chapter before Griffin becomes destructive and sinister. The closing chapter follows the downfall of Griffin so the design is both erratic and disfigured before he is killed.

Please click on the link to watch the video flicking through the book.

Present You Campaign

This campaign was created after lots of research on whether social media is affecting our happiness. One of my key findings was the difference between passive and active usage of social media. Those who are using social media mainly for passive usage are far more likely to experience feelings of depression and anxiety. In contrast, those who are using it actively to connect and share with loved ones are less likely. I wanted to create a campaign that helped people build better relationships with social media and in turn, improve their mental health and wellbeing.

MoodWell Soda

MoodWell is a natural soda company that embodies a very minimalist and modern style. Their main aim is to create a safe space for people who don’t know a lot about ‘health drinks’ to find a trustworthy brand that they can rely on. The drinks are there to help you during your day no matter what is going on. Whether you need an energy boost, to focus or even to just relax they can help you out.

ELO Time Album Redesign

This interpretation of ELO’s album Time focuses on the futuristic and time travel elements of the music. However, it also touches on the longing for connection the man in the album faces. I reenvisioned the album cover to have a more modernised feel while still staying true to its messaging.

Acknowledgement of Country

The School of Design and Architecture respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and knowledge-keepers of the lands, waters and sky that surround us, where we work, learn, create, communicate and make place. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and this always was and will always be Wurundjeri Country. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to make a better world through design.

We extend our acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, alumni, real-life clients, and knowledge keepers, who have contributed to our own education diversity and growth. We will continue to ensure that staff and students respectfully honour ancestral connection to Country and Place in everything that they do.

We are dedicated to the notion of design to make a better world and we acknowledge that making tools, shaping place, sharing stories, making meaning, wayfinding and collaborating have long been and continue to be both central and integral to First Peoples' cultures. We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultural contributions have continued relevance to design practice and commit to: reconciling ancestries of design and contemporary practice as well as pursuing culturally and professionally appropriate ways to engage with a diverse population of colleagues, industries and clients. In a time of treaty-making and voice we understand that there are overlaps between caring for Country and the sustainable production of goods, services, experiences, products and buildings.

Guided by the principles of respect, reconciliation, and reciprocity we undertake to indigenising and decolonising design practice by dismantling colonial structures and challenging biases that have marginalised Indigenous voices and design.

As students of SoDA you will be given opportunities to both engage with and educate yourself in Indigenous creative practices and cultural protocols through a lens of inclusivity, diversity, respect, mutual understanding, inter-cultural dialogue in all aspects of design practice. Indigenous people have been telling stories, making tools, and connecting to Country through visual media, placemaking and place marking for more than 60,000 years and these practices are part of an ongoing, evolving and live tradition.