Meet the future designer: Erin McCutchion

A little bit about me

I arrived for work experience already knowing that I'm interested in design. I really like the way it helps people (and businesses) to express what is most important to them. I love the freedom of being creative.

My passion for art began in year seven at school, when things started getting more interesting and I was able to experiment with different mediums, putting them together to create a final piece that means something to me. In my opinion, art is more than just painting a portrait. It's about using forms, shapes, objects and colours to create something with meaning and that people can reflect on, which represents my thought process. I also have a real interest in street art, and in fashion design, and I love to create clothes. When I was younger, my grandma bought me a sewing machine and this has really inspired me to create my own clothes and look into fashion as a career.

My favourite fashion designer: Coco Chanel 

My favourite fine artist: Ian Murphy

Why is art and design so important to me?

Art is meaningful to me because my dyslexia has slowed me down in other subjects and I sometimes felt like an odd one out. In art there are no words for me to get confused about. I feel I can be free with what I create and spread a message without letters and words. 

My favourite style to create is abstract and mixed media, as I love the freedom to create movement in my art. I like to do portraits and in-depth architectural pieces.

What I learned about design at The Marketing Pod

My favourite thing about being at the Pod was completing the design project. I liked piecing together ideas to create a brand idea, which was one of my tasks. I spent time with two of the designers and created a digital mood board of ideas for my ideal brand. I chose a vintage French clothing brand.

Pod team members Guneet and Zoe showed me how to use Adobe Illustrator on the Macs and introduced me to how I was going to create my logo. I also spent a bit of time thinking about how I would advertise my products. 

I loved getting to understand how business and design blend together, as I find it interesting to explore how you can attract potential customers through pictures and ideas. 

During my week at Pod, I also enjoyed meeting new people. They have inspired me to pursue my dream career, by showing me a bigger picture of a future in fashion and marketing. They have also helped me understand how effective marketing campaigns lead to brand awareness, helping businesses to boost their reputation and keep growing.

Find out more about the friendly Pod team here.