An Internship at Holmes Wood - Q&A

Emily and Ed joined Holmes Wood in September 2022 as Design Interns to learn more about graphic and product design, having recently graduated from university. In this article, Emily and Ed share their experiences of being interns at Holmes Wood, discussing the projects they got involved with, what they learned and what they enjoyed most about their internships.

Why did you want to join the Holmes Wood internship programme?

Emily: "I joined Holmes Wood’s internship programme as I wanted to gain experience and begin a career in graphic design, having recently graduated from University of Reading with a BA in Graphic Communication. I developed an interest in information design during my university course and have always found wayfinding an interesting area of design."

Ed: "After graduating from Goldsmiths with a BA in Design Holmes Wood offered me the internship as a product designer. I wasn’t aware of wayfinding as an area of design, but it intrigued me as a multi-disciplinary field where I would be able to explore and develop my skills as a designer."

How did you find your internship?

Emily: "My internship at Holmes Wood was a great experience as it has provided opportunities to develop my understanding of wayfinding and progress my design skills, in an engaging working environment."

Ed: "I’ve learned a lot in my time as an intern and beyond, it’s been enlightening to experience the inner workings of a design company. I especially enjoy the multifaceted nature of the job. I’ve been able to do a whole range of things from concept development to site visits to 3D modelling."

What projects were you involved with during your internship?

Emily: "Both Ed and I got the opportunity to work on the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) project. I enjoyed the learning experience of being a part of the design team, working on the development of the internal map and bespoke pictogram set. Typography is something I am passionate about so getting to design the pictogram set inspired by the nuance characteristics of the custom typeface, designed by EDIT, was a great experience. The process of developing the internal map for NPG was a rewarding design challenge that I am pleased to see come into fruition with the re-opening of the national portrait gallery."

Ed: "I got the opportunity to work on a lot of the donor pieces for the National Portrait Gallery, in fact the mosaic donor piece was the first job I was given. I also helped to finalise the design of the bespoke fixings throughout the scheme. It was really nice to be trusted to have an input into something important as it allowed me to come into my own as a designer and bring new ideas to the table. It gives you a sense of ownership and pride in the work you are doing, and to see my work manifested in the gallery is truly rewarding."

National Portrait Gallery product design detail

What have you enjoyed most about your internship?

Emily: "Both Ed and I got the opportunity to work on the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) project. I enjoyed the learning experience of being a part of the design team, working on the development of the internal map and bespoke pictogram set. Typography is something I am passionate about so getting to design the pictogram set inspired by the nuance characteristics of the custom typeface, designed by EDIT, was a great experience. The process of developing the internal map for NPG was a rewarding design challenge that I am pleased to see come into fruition with the re-opening of the national portrait gallery."

Into The Wild trip to MagCulture in Farringdon'

Ed: Something I’ve really enjoyed about the internship is that despite being new to my career, there have been many instances where I’ve felt trusted with a certain aspect of a project and that has allowed me to be creatively independent. I also valued being a part of the creative team as it allowed us to join in with the weekly creative catchups where the team critiques each other’s work.

What new skills have you developed since working at Holmes Wood?

Emily: "While working at Holmes Wood I got the opportunity to help plan, design and coordinate a marketing campaign called ‘The Red Thing’. The Red Thing was a rewilding initiative that gifted seed balls to clients as an annual thank you. This was a great experience as I was able to learn from and work closely with the marketing team."

Ed: "The Red Thing campaign was an interesting project to work on for me too as it involved a lot of experimentation to produce the seed ball product in a sustainable way. For which we ended up using red paper cut-offs donated from G.F Smith and re-purposed Christmas wrapping paper."

The Red Thing being made by our design team

What support or goals did you have during your internship?

Emily: "The Holmes Wood team were all very supportive in showing us how the team works through projects. I outlined a set of goals of soft and hard skills that I wanted to improve upon during my internship. One of my aims was to learn more about the use of font design applications and how that could improve my workflow in designing pictograms."

Ed: "The support from the team has been exemplary, I have always felt comfortable asking for help and have been given the space to develop myself as a designer. I have been particularly focused on developing my 3D CAD skills and to be allowed to do that in a working environment is not something I thought possible."

What are the design trends you’re seeing right now?

Ed: "It’s safe to say there has been lots of movement in the digital world towards AI enhanced experiences. It’s been intriguing to see this change and discover new ways that AI can aid our workflow. One way in which I have incorporated AI into my work is using AI generated scripts for 3D modelling of complex shapes."

What advice would you give to graduates thinking about doing a design internship?

Emily: "I would recommend taking on an internship, especially in an area of design you are interested in. It’s a great experience to learn more about a design niche and explore your interests while getting a feel for the workplace too."

Both Ed and Emily were contacted by Holmes Wood after their respective degree. They have now completed their six month internship and are both working, full time, at Holmes Wood. If you are interested in joining the program, please get in touch with emily.whiteside@holmes-wood.com.