Nicholas Rickard

Communication Design

I’m Nick, and I have recently completed a Bachelor of Design (Communication Design), where I’ve blended creativity with strategic thinking to deliver various design solutions. My love of contemporary design and street art has inspired me to create unique campaigns, captivating brand identities, and eye-catching packaging.

Outside design, I explore new cuisines or listen to music my mum describes as ‘too loud’. I like to blend these influences into my work to add a layer of personality. Grunge and minimalism are also big influences on my work, commonly resulting in a simplistic, but still striking aesthetics. With a focus on purpose-driven design, I aim to spark conversation and connection.

Unmask

Unmask — Face to face with opioids, aims to spread awareness, inform on the fast growing opioid crisis, and most importantly, encourage empathy and action. The design includes visual metaphors and a washed-away theme to reflect the somber nature of addiction.

Open House Melbourne

Open House Melbourne’s campaign aims to shed a light on the cities design, old and new, by blending the gritty nature of street art with the rich architectural history of Melbourne. The campaign aimed to evoke a sense of adventure, inviting people old and young to rediscover the cities beauty.

Traction Wheels

The design solution for skate wheel brand, ‘Traction Wheels’ aims to capture elements of some of the worlds greatest skaters cultures, with an energetic and playful aesthetic. Traction Wheels allows for skate fans to show support to their idols, and love for the sport in a redefined way.

Carbon Literacy Project

The Carbon Literacy Project, 'How Big Is It?', promotes positive carbon-conscious actions in a humorous manner to appeal to university students. The unique approach to the growing problem of climate assists the Carbon Literacy Program in making sustainability more engaging and approachable.

Suzuka Gatefold Album

This gatefold album design of Sam Alfred’s ‘Suzuka’ EP pays homage to the fast, energetic nature of Alfred’s music. The bold design style and colour palette are heavily inspired by Melbournes street art scene and the albums relation to the vibrant JDM car scene.

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.