WHS Visual Arts Alumni - Brad Tipper

The next in our ALUMNI Series: BRAD TIPPER
At WHS 2003-2007

What have you been doing since you left Whanganui High School?

I graduated from the Whanganui School of Design in 2014 with a Masters of Computer Graphic Design. I've been at Liquid Edge (a small design company based in Whanganui) as a designer for for the last 6 1/2 years, and have been working remotely from Wellington for the last 4. I'm still involved in the background in the arts in Whanganui as the designer for Artists Open Studios, Space Studio & Gallery and a soon-to-be announced arts project spanning the Taranaki/Whanganui/Manawatu/Kapiti regions.

Do you continue to pursue your creativity in your own time?

Sure do. I'm into the intersection of technology and tradition; I did a fair bit of work on this for my Masters in the context of printmaking. I'm currently working with a CNC router to create blocks for woodcut printing.

How do you support yourself?

I'm a full time graphic designer/web developer. I take on a few freelance projects too if I have time- usually small web applications, but also some design work- I handle everything for Whanganui's Lads Brewing Company, for example.

Which Arts subjects did you do at school?

Art Design & Graphics.

What skills, learnt in the Arts, have been useful in your career since WHS?

Probably the fundamentals of vector and technical drawing, and how important a nice grid is!

What other life skills did you learn in your Arts subjects?

Definitely the ability to self-direct & self-teach. I've taught myself web development over the last 7 or so years, and have been getting into some frontend app development over the last 2.

What advice would you give to our current arts students?

In the design space anyway, being flexible & willing/able to learn new technologies- design software, web frameworks, is basically essential I think. Especially in a job market saturated with graduates, practical skills and adaptability go a long way. We've struggled to find new staff with the right combination of technical ability and a high design taste level.

BRAD TIPPER
WHS ALUMNI, 2003-2007

12/3/21